Seven Dragons, Seven Children
by iwantsupernatural
Summary: Seven. That was how many there were, seven. Seven Dragon Slayers, seven dragons. In a haven called Draconia, the seven learned together, grew up together, and became family together. A series of interrelated slightly AU one shots that eventually merge (mostly) with canon. Eventual GraTsu, Fraxus, GaLe, Cobra/Kinana, and StinGue, plus others.
1. Prologue

Seven Dragons, Seven Children

Seven. That was how many there were, seven. Seven Dragon Slayers, seven dragons. Natsu Dragneel, son of the Fire Dragon, Igneel. Laxus Dreyar, son of the Lightning Dragon, Astrapi. Gajeel Redfox, son of the Iron Dragon, Metalicana. Wendy Marvel, daughter of the Sky Dragon, Grandeeney. Erik, better known as Cobra, son of the Poison Dragon, Gwenwyn. Sting Eucliffe, son of the White Dragon, Weisslogia. Ryos, better known as Rogue Cheney, son of the Shadow Dragon, Skiadrum.

Tucked away in the farthest corner of the world, surrounded by a tumultuous, raging ocean, a blistering desert that stretched on for miles, a thick forest full of thorny trees packed so closely together it was nearly impossible to walk without being heavily scratched, and tall, freezing, impassable mountains whose slopes were nearly vertical, was a safehaven for dragons. This haven was referred to as Draconia by its inhabitants. It was almost similar to the Celestial Spirit world, but it was in the mortal plane.

This was the place that the seven Dragon Slayers were taken to be trained, cared for, and brought up by their draconic parents. The first to be found were Natsu, Laxus, Gajeel, and Cobra. Natsu had been abandoned by his family for unknown reasons and Igneel had found the boy wandering around in the forest, sobbing loudly. Astrapi had found Laxus wandering aimlessly in the middle of a forest near Magnolia. The boy's father had been kicked out of his grandfather's guild, Fairy Tail, and, in a fit of rage, he had ran out of the building and into the forest, quickly getting lost. Metalicana's finding of Gajeel was of a similar nature to Igneel and Natsu, the human child having also been abandoned by his family. Gwenwyn and Cobra refused to divulge the circumstances of the latter's finding for no other reason than their shared natural secretive nature. At least, that was what the others assumed.

Natsu was two at the time, Laxus seven, Gajeel four, and Cobra three. Laxus, by far the oldest, completely ignored the three younger boys. Natsu could barely talk, so Gajeel and Cobra ignored him too. Gajeel and Cobra themselves disliked each other because Cobra was too secretive and Gajeel thought himself better because he was older by a year. Really, the four just didn't get along. That was unfortunate because their draconic parents were all very close to each other, and had actually made their nests nearby. This meant that if they decided to visit, they brought their human child with them, even Astrapi despite Laxus being old enough to take care of himself.

Seven years later, three new children were brought to Draconia. Wendy, Sting, and Rogue. Wendy was lost and wandering in a random valley, sobbing and crying out for her family when Grandeeney found her. Rogue and Sting were actually found together, the closest of friends refusing to be separated. They had both run away from their families due to abuse of both of them. Skiadrum had taken a liking to the dark-haired, quieter one, Ryos, while Weisslogia had preferred Sting. Their draconic parents were also close with the previous four's parents.

Everyone immediately loved Wendy. She was little, cute, innocent, and shy, and she invoked extreme protective urges in everyone. Sting and Natsu took a liking to each other, Sting as competitive as Natsu despite being six years younger than the other boy. Ryos, for reasons unknown, immediately idolized Gajeel, following him around eagerly. For two years after that, the seven dragons and their human children grew, matured, and bonded. The children grew close to the point that they, and their draconic parents, were each other's family. They were _nakama_ to the end.

 **A/N: Yes, I know I should be working on Sakura Blossoms on Ice, but this has been floating around in my head for awhile and I just had to write it down. Honestly, I'm not sure if I'll continue that story- I seem to have lost all inspiration for it. For this one, I will add chapters as I write and whrn I'm finished with this, then I'll put this in chronological order. Sorry for the long absence and as always, please read and review.  
**


	2. Igneel's Pyro

Igneel's Pyro

Two-year-old Natsu was confused. He wandered around the enormous forest on short, chubby legs, sobbing as he rubbed onyx-black eyes with small fists. His cries grew louder with every step, bare feet getting cut and bruised from the uncomfortable forest ground, tiny pebbles and pine needles burrowing into his skin as he stubbed his toes on every tree root he came across.

"Mama!" he wailed, "Mama!" He was young and knew very few words, but to little Natsu, that word was the most important. He couldn't figure out what he'd done wrong. He could recall his father harsh, cruel face always twisting in disgust whenever he saw Natsu. He remembered his mother's sad black eyes as she stared at him before walking away. He didn't know why his parents didn't seem to like him, but he knew that he was probably the reason. Why else would they turn their hurt and anger on him?

Natsu, lost in his misery, tripped over yet another tree root, this time landing hard on his hands and knees. Pebbles and pine needles dug into his palms and knees, hurting him even more. Rather than try to get up again, he just stayed in that position, tears pouring down his face as he wailed and sobbed and cried for his mother.

"Sowwy…" he whispered to the ground. He allowed himself to remain in that position for a few more minutes before forcing himself to stand on shaky legs. He managed another few steps before stumbling and falling, yet again, to the ground. He didn't get up this time. Night was falling, the forest was getting dark, and he was getting cold. He was lost, scared, and alone, and the nighttime darkness was turning the forest into a scary place of shadowy trees and bushes waiting to scratch at him with evil claws.

The two-year-old curled up into a little ball, huddled and shaking, hoping to muffle his loud sobs with his knees. He whimpered slightly as he heard a growling sound, willing himself to stop crying and be quiet. The trees rustled, twigs snapped, and the growling got louder. Natsu couldn't take it anymore. He was scared, alone, little, abandoned, the forest was scary, and there was a monster coming towards him. He screamed at the top of his lungs.

Fire spurted towards the surrounding trees, lighting up the forest brightly to reveal an enormous creature watching Natsu with curious glowing yellow eyes. It was huge, and covered in red scales. Its belly was a creamy color, and its head was topped by horns. Fire was coming in gentle spurts from his nostrils, smoke spiralling through the air. Natsu had yet to stop screaming as the monster raised a paw tipped with long, sharp red claws. He was feeling dizzy suddenly, his vision darkening on the edges. He should take a breath, he thought, but maybe his screaming was keeping the monster away. Maybe the monster was waiting for him to stop screaming so it could eat him!

This just spurred on Natsu's earsplitting scream. The monster rumbled out a sigh and hot breath washed over Natsu. It was warm! Slowly, he stopped screaming and drew in a hitching breath.

"Y-youanna eame?"* The monster looked at him with those glowing yellow eyes. A long, forked tongue flicked out, and the monster began to shake, scales rippling as it rumbled loudly.

Natsu whimpered. Was it getting ready to eat him? Had his screaming killed it?Was he… going to die?

"Be calm, child. I am no monster, and I give you my word as a dragon that I will not eat you." Natsu squeaked in surprise at the deep, rumbling voice that emerged from the mon- no, dragon.

"Nahonna eame?"** he asked timidly. The dragon shook and rumbled again, and Natsu realized that it -he- was laughing.

"No, child. Tell me, do you have a name?"

"Nazu," he replied firmly.

"Nazu?" asked the dragon, tilting his head. Natsu shook his own vigorously.

"Nahnazu. Nazu."***

"Natu?" tried the dragon. This earned him another vigorous head shake.

"Nazu," replied the two-year-old forcefully. The dragon was confused. The child was repeating the same name over and over again as though it were obvious that no, he wasn't saying 'Nazu', he was saying something else.

"You're saying 'Nazu'," the dragon finally decided to tell the child. Natsu focused hard on his next word.

"Na-t-z-u," he managed to stutter out.

"Natsu. Your name is Natsu." The child nodded happily. "Why are you out here, Natsu?"

"Mama naere. Dada naere. Lefmeere."**** The dragon tilted his head again. Why had the child's parents abandoned him? Making a quick decision, he opened his mouth yet again.

"Well, Natsu. Would you like to come with me? I will be your father if you wish." The boy's black eyes immediately brightened.

"Dada?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes, Natsu. I will be your… dada." There was an undertone of disgust in the dragon's voice when saying the child's name for him, but he did not rebuke Natsu. "I am called Igneel, King of the Fire Dragons. I will carry you to my home," added Igneel. The child nodded with wide eyes as he fire dragon reared up on his back legs, enormous scarlet-and-cream wings spreading out to their full length. He gently wrapped his flexible tail around Natsu and placed the child on his back, in between two of his spines. The child immediately grabbed on tight to the spine in front of him, giggling slightly at the rush of cold air as Igneel took off into the night sky. The dragon's scales were warm and soft, filling Natsu with such comfort that he soon slumped forwards, fast asleep.

Igneel could feel the child relax and, rumbling softly, he increased his body temperature to keep his new son warm.

"Sleep, my little pyro. I will raise you, care for you, and teach you the way of both dragon and human. I will share with you the magic that a dragon wields, and you will be the son of the great dragon Igneel."

* D-do you want to eat me?

** Not gonna eat me?

*** Not Nazu. Natsu.

**** Mama's not here. Dada's not here. They left me here.


	3. Astrapi's Spark

Astrapi's Spark

"You kicked out my father. You made your own son leave!" shouted seven-year-old Laxus Dreyar at his grandfather, Makarov.

"It had to be done, Laxus. Ivan was becoming drunk on his own power," Makarov replied calmly. His son glared at him with electric blue eyes, and a few moments later he realized that his grandson's eyes were actually flashing with lightning.

"He's my father! He's your son! Your blood! How could you kick out your own flesh and blood?!" raged Laxus. Lightning continued to crackle around him, scorching Makarov's desk slightly.

"It was necessary."

"Necessary? Necessary?! You won't even tell me what he did!"

"Calm down, Laxus." Rather than calming down his grandson, it sent him into an even more explosive rage.

"You weren't calm when you kicked Dad out of the guild, were you?! Don't tell me to calm down!" Makarov reached a hand towards his grandson, only to have it harshly batted away.

"Laxus…" he said. The blonde boys spun around furiously.

"No! I won't listen! You're probably gonna' kick me out too, huh? See me become too much Dad and out I go, huh? Well that's not happenin'! I'm leavin' before you get that chance! I hate you! I never wanna see you again!" shouted Laxus furiously. He stormed out the door, but not before Makarov caught sight of the all-too-familiar shimmer of tears on his grandson's cheeks. The door slammed shut, and he could hear Laxus racing towards his room to grab his possessions.

"Laxus!" he shouted, the realization that his grandson was planning to leave him forever suddenly striking him. "Laxus!" He got up and raced after his grandson, but by the time he reached Laxus' room, the boy was gone.

"Laxus…" he whispered. "I'm sorry…" He fell to his knees, tears making their way down his cheeks.

Laxus ran to his room, grabbing clothes and a few other items he felt were necessary. He paused for a second, wondering if he should go through the guildhall to say goodbye to a few people- namely Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen. After a moment's consideration, he realized that he'd die of guilt if he didn't say goodbye to the people who already loyally stood by him. He headed towards the stairs, bag over his shoulder, going down to where the rest of the guild was sitting, strangely quiet. The moment he appeared, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen rushed up to him. The secondary leader of the Rajinshuu was clearly panicking, the rune mage rushing up and literally flinging himself at his idol.

"Laxus! Laxus! Laxus!" they cried. "We heard the fight, we heard that you were leaving!" Bickslow and Evergreen then also began clinging to him, but Freed was definitely the most desperate.

"M'sorry, but I just… I can't stay here. I'll come back though, I promise. Might take a few years, but I'll come back to you guys. Can't be leavin' my nakama forever, can I?" Laxus could feel his throat closing, roughening his voice and making him feel like crying. He tentatively hugged his comrades back before roughly, but affectionately, shoving them away and leaving the guild. He headed into the forest, assuming that it would be that quickest way to leave Magnolia. He walked aimlessly among the trees, heading in a direction he assumed would lead out of the forest and out of the city.

It took night falling for Laxus to admit it. He was lost in the forest, and he couldn't call for help. Sighing, he sat down under a particularly leafy tree, leaning against the thick trunk. He'd had enough sense to bring food, and he was thankful for that as his stomach let out a loud grumble. He opened his bag and brought out a hunk of bread, tearing into it eagerly. His hunger sated, he decided that it was really too late to attempt to find his way out of the forest at this point. He settled down under the tree and nearly cried in frustration when he felt the first drops of rain patter onto him. He looked up and saw the faint glint of raindrops pouring from the sky, faster and faster, rushing dizzyingly down at him. A few minutes passed and thunder rumbled distantly before a bright bolt of lightning streaked out of the sky with a resounding crack.

Thunder rumbled again a few moments later, and again, lightning struck, growing nearer and nearer. Laxus watched the storm with pure fascination, rather awed at the full extent of Nature's power. It was… beautiful, bright lightning lighting up the dark night sky, glinting off the millions of raindrops which shimmered like jewels whenever the bolts struck. Laxus sighed rather contentedly, almost wishing that the Rajinshuu were with him, watching this beautiful show.

He was jolted out of his awe by a roar, then a streak of light, then an enormous form spiralling straight towards him. Laxus immediately stood, muscles tense, readying his magic. He was only seven years old, and of average height and build, but his magic was powerful. It was magic meant to slay dragons, implanted by lacrima inside of him by his father. Lightning crackled around his fists, surrounded him in a deadly aura.

"Who's there?" he shouted out. Though he showed confidence, he was honestly terrified. He was seven years old, and he was facing an unknown monster, most likely very powerful. His well-hidden terror was betrayed by his slightly shaking voice. His lightning coated fists trembled, though from fear or rage he wasn't sure. The creature alighted before him, and he gasped at what it was. A dragon. He was facing a live dragon, one who would probably kill him, even with his dragon slaying magic.

"And how, pray tell, might a human boy wield my power?" demanded a deep yet feminine voice filled with scorn. The dragon before Laxus was… incredible. She was slender and almost serpentine, though her movements were jagged and harsh with certain smoothness and grace to them. Her jagged scales were yellow-white barely tinged with blue, much like a lightning bolt. Her eyes were a bright yellow with tiny, crooked horns lining the top of each eye. Two jagged horns jutted away from her slender muzzle, curving down to line up with her long neck. Thin, jagged spines lined her back and all the way down her crooked tail, which looked to be stiff and sharp at the end. Thin, jagged wings stretched out from her back, looking to be the frame of wings without skin. It didn't even seem as though she should be able to fly, but apparently she could. Looking closer, Laxus saw the faintest bit of near-transparent skin stretching over the thin wings, barely noticeable and barely enough to catch any air. The entirety of the dragon crackled with electricity, forming a second skin made of lightning.

"I am Laxus Dreyar, son of Ivan Dreyar, grandson of one of the Ten Wizard Saints, Master of Fiore's greatest and most powerful guild, Makarov Dreyar! I'm gonna' fight you with your own magic and have myself a nice dragonhide to keep warm!" shouted Laxus, now sounding more brave than he felt. In return the dragon laughed, a harsh, metallic sound that sent a shower of small sparks to the ground.

"You have quite the spark, Little One," laughed the dragon. She was enjoying the boy who wielded her power.

"Don't call me little!" Laxus glared up at her, electric blue meeting bright yellow. Lightning coated his clenched fists, exploding outwards in a bright shock. He ran towards the dragon, fists crackling, and attacked her.

"Lightning Blast!" he shouted, a large blast of lightning shooting towards the dragon. She simply stood there, not even attempting to dodge the attack. As it drew closer, she opened her jaws and inhaled, the lightning swirling straight into her mouth. She was eating it.

"Lightning Dragon's Roar!" A blast of lightning emerged from Laxus' mouth. This, too, was eaten by the dragon who sighed, clearly getting annoyed with what to her was a game. She opened her mouth and a large-scale copy of Laxus' attack headed straight at him. He stood his ground and, opening his mouth, he ate the lightning. His eyes bulged and he spluttered.

"Hot! Hothothothothot!" he shouted. The dragon's lightning was a million times more potent than he was used to, and it prickled his mouth and throat like scalding needles all the way down. Quickly, he opened his mouth again and released the dragon's lightning in another Lightning Dragon's Roar. It did nothing to harm the dragon.

"Stop, child. I mean you no harm," the dragon spoke calmly. Laxus, realizing that he would not be able to kill the dragon, reluctantly backed off.

"So, you don't want to eat me?" he asked suspiciously. The dragon let out another harsh, metallic laugh.

"You'd be barely a mouthful. Why are you here in the woods, child? Are you lost?"

"I ran away. My grandfather kicked my father, his own son out of the guild! He betrayed his own blood!" Laxus' face was a mask of fury, and the dragon seemed to agree that he should be angry.

"You are young, and a child. A child is not meant to survive on his own, alone, in the wilderness. You are weak in comparison to what lies out there, despite your surprising power as a human. You need someone to watch over you and I grow lonely in my empty nest. Would you like to be taught your magic by the Lightning Dragon, Astrapi?" Laxus' face lit up at the prospect of having a dragon for a mother. He had no idea what had happened to his own, and he had no memories of her, so he would appreciate knowing the warmth of having a mother to watch over him.

"Do you really want a human to be your child?" asked Laxus, trying to hide his eagerness.

"I would enjoy the company, and I know that my closest friends plan on having human children, so you would not be lonely."

"I think I'd like that, then!" Nodding her slender head in acceptance, she looped her tail to Laxus.

"Climb onto my back and sit in between my spines. Be careful of my scales; they are very sharp." Laxus hesitantly stepped on the tail, hoping it wouldn't hurt the dragon. He grasped it gently to keep his balance, wincing slightly at the surprising sharpness of the delicate scales. He made his way towards the center of Astrapi's back, settling between two spines that had a large enough gap to fit him. He sat straight up as the Lightning Dragon shot up into the air, faster than he would ever imagine. Looking down, he saw her glowing with lightning, and she seemed to leave a trail of light behind her. She was like a lightning bolt herself. Laxus would remember this forever: the sharp scales beneath him, the jagged spine grasped tightly in his hands, the thrilling rush of flying, the heavy press of the wind in his face, the sting of raindrops whizzing by, and the wonder of flying as part of a lightning storm.

Though Astrapi was flying at an incredible speed, wherever she was taking him to was a long ways off and Laxus eventually could not stay awake. He slumped forwards, slightly to the side to dodge being impaled on a sharp, jagged spine, and soon fell fast asleep.

Astrapi felt her child falling asleep, and adjusted her speed slightly so there was less danger of him falling off.

"You are my spark, child. I will care for you as a mother should, care for you in the way that a child should be cared for. You will grow under my care, and you will be powerful, and no one will ever turn you away or force you away from your home. Sleep, my spark, and grow strong," Astrapi whispered to her sleeping child. "You are in the care of Astrapi who flies with storms. You are safe."


	4. Metalicana's Brat

Metalicana's Brat

Gajeel, though only three years old, understood very clearly that his parents had never wanted him. His father worked in an iron mine and, despite her rather small stature, his mother was a smith. At least one of them worked all day, and the moment he was able to walk and talk, both worked, leaving him alone full time. When his father saw him, he would throw small pieces of iron at his son, aiming to hit but not cause lasting damage. Gajeel enjoyed playing with these iron pieces, eventually gathering a large, double-handful of them.

He didn't understand that his father was trying to hurt him, not give him toys.

When his mother saw him, she glared at him with hard red eyes and a slender hand with strength that pounded metal into submission behind it flashed out to strike him, hard enough to sting but not enough to bruise. Gajeel made a game of trying to dodge his mother's hand, ignore the pain that came with it, or stop it altogether.

He didn't understand that his mother was trying to hurt him, not play a game.

Finally came the day that they grew tired of him. The three-year-old child was nothing but a burden. They both worked full-time, but they were still poor, and needing to care for Gajeel didn't help one bit. He was able to walk and talk to some extent, and he could manipulate objects to a certain extent. Gajeel's parents decided that their son was, at three years old able to care for himself. They told him to leave.

"Why, Mama?" asked Gajeel confusedly.

"Don't call me 'mama'," the woman told her son harshly. She reached to slap him again, but Gajeel dodged it.

"Why do I gotta go?"

"This family cannot support three people. My husband and I work very hard to keep us with food and clothes and paying rent, and you just take up precious resources. You do no work, you bring in no income, and you are quite useless and, in fact, detrimental to our well-being. Therefore, we require that you leave. You may take no food or items that we have bestowed upon you. The only clothes you may take are the clothes upon our back. Now leave." Gajeel's mother stared at him with unwavering, cold red eyes that glinted harshly like rubies.

The black-haired toddler nodded in understanding, wide eyes wavering with tears. He didn't understand all the words that his mother had said to him, but he got the idea. He didn't do anything to help the family, which was poor, so he had to leave. He looked imploringly at the large, imposing figure of his father, but he stared coldly at his son with hard blue eyes. He reached into his pocket and threw a small pebble of iron at Gajeel, this time with full force so it struck the child in the cheek, cutting open his skin and bouncing off. He scrambled to find the piece of iron, pocketing it as he ducked his head and ran out the door.

Gajeel wandered among the houses in the tiny mining village, looking up at the people who ignored him. He stumbled down the rough, dusty streets, searching for a way out of the village. He soon found himself in the mountains, wandering aimlessly among the craggy peaks. Tears poured down his face unbidden, and though he tried to stop the sobs that wracked his body, he couldn't bring himself to do so. It was cold in the mountains, so Gajeel stuck his little hands in his pockets in an attempt to keep them warm. Doing that reminded him of the iron pellets that filled one pocket. He brought out a few, rubbing them and tossing them around in his hands. They quickly warmed to his body temperature, though he himself remained cold.

The three-year-old sighed sadly, wishing he could be back at his house, no matter how neglectful and abusive his parents were, no matter how cold and drafty the house was, no matter that he didn't have a real room or a bed. It was familiar, and he would do anything for just a little bit of familiarity at this point.

Gajeel shrieked in fear when he noticed a large, winged shadow in front of him, and when he looked up, a monster hovered above him.

"Don't kill me! I don't wanna die!" shouted the toddler, arms in front of his face. The monster was enormous, with dull gray metallic wings pumping slowly. Rather than scales, it seemed to be covered in overlapping plates that almost looked like armor made for dragons. It had a blunt, metallic head with a glowing red eyes. It had no spines, but it had long, glinting claws and sharp fangs. It was letting out a deep, rumbling laugh, amusement clear in the huge, shaking body.

"I ain't numbered among the dragons that eat humans. Don't offend me, brat, or I might break that habit." Gajeel squeaked in fear, scrambling back as his hand automatically reached inside his pocket for an iron pellet. He threw it fiercely at the dragon, but it bounced off it's hard armor with a clink.

"I like your choice of weapon, brat, but it won't harm me. I am Metalicana, the Iron Dragon."

"You're a dragon?" The child's eyes were wide with awe. "I never seen a dragon before." The dragon laughed slightly.

"That would be because we disappeared to a haven, Draconia it's called. The humans started to chase us away, so we figured there wasn't much point in stayin' here." The dragon tilted his blunt head slightly. "Now, what's a human brat doin' out here in the mountains? It's dangerous and you're not able to take care of yourself."

"Mama and Daddy said that I was useless 'cause we're poor and I don't get any money, so I gotta' leave." Gajeel said it matter-of-factly, almost defiantly, as though it were a thing to be proud of. Metalicana, on the other hand, was not at all happy. Though he was not one of the dragons who thought humans to be only prey, he realized he might just make an exception for the brat's parents. To kick out a child barely able to walk and talk was unforgivable in the dragon's eyes. He noticed a small, bleeding hole on the child's cheek.

"What happened to you face, brat?" The dragon's voice was softer now.

"Daddy gave me a parting gift. See? One more iron pellet for my collection!" Gajeel held up a small lump of iron proudly. Glowing eyes narrowed in deadly fury.

"So your father throws iron pellets at you… and your mother… does she do anything to you?" growled out the Metalicana.

"She plays a game with me. It's where I dodge or block her hand, or be strong and not cry." The dragon's growl rose to a full-on roar of pure rage. The child's parents were not only neglectful, but also abusive.

"You'll die out here by yourself, brat." The dragon now called Gajeel 'brat' with a more affectionate tone. "You need someone to take care of you."

"But Mama and Daddy won't look after me and I don't have any friends." Gajeel clearly didn't understand what Metalicana was trying to offer.

"I'll take care of you. You'll be the son of the Iron Dragon, Metalicana and you will learn the power of the Iron Dragon." The child's eyes widened considerably.

"Really?" he whispered. "You'll teach me magic?" Metalicana nodded his blunt head. "Okay! I'll go with you!" The dragon could not help but ruffle the child's unusually long, spiky black hair with a claw.

"Climb on my back, brat." Gajeel slowly made his way onto the dragon's back and almost instantly fell asleep.

"Sleep, my brat. The Iron Dragon Metallicana watches over you. I will train you and you will be strong. No one will ever hurt you or cast you away again. I swear this on my honor as a dragon. One day, Gajeel, you will rise above all who once wronged you because you will wield the power of dragons. You will wield the power that causes dragon's to fall, and any who dare scorn you will tremble before you."


	5. Gwenwyn's Neidr

Gwenwyn's Neidr

"Monster," they whispered. "Freak. Monster. Cursed. Bastard child. Abomination. Trash. Worthless." The insults were all thrown at the three-year-old with maroon hair and pointed ears walking down the street, hands in his pockets, hunched over, but head high and bright eyes alert. His face was dirty and scratched, his clothes worn and ragged and he was clearly emaciated. His purple eyes were sunken deep in his overly defined face, skin clinging to the delicate bones.

Though just a toddle, Erik was the most hated person in his village. It started when he was two, when his parents died. Erik had always had an affinity for snakes and seemed to attract the reptiles everywhere he went. He already had his own pet snake, a purple one he called Cubelios. It had happened at night, though. His parents were arguing- screaming, more like- as he curled up in a corner of his room, hands over his sensitive ears in a futile attempt to block out the sound of their fight.

"Stop it," he whispered to himself, "stop it, stop it, stop it." The sounds continued, getting louder if anything. A gentle brush of smooth, scaly skin brought him out of his tears. Purple eyes flickered upwards to see his room filled with snakes, hissing comfortingly. His lips parted in a sharp-toothed grin as the reptiles writhed to surround him. A particularly loud shout returned his attention to his screaming parents, a loud bang making him flinch and stomping footsteps approaching making him whimper. The door slammed open, but his parents were hidden by a mass of multicolored scales rushing towards the open door. Screams and shouts made Erik shoot up to his feet and yell at his snakes.

"Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it!" At his voice, the creatures turned away and slithered out the window, leaving the sobbing boy and the bloated, swollen, bitten corpses of his parents. Only Cubelios remained, wrapped around his arm in silent comfort. Erik crawled towards his parents' bodies, screaming at them to be alive.

It didn't take long for the villagers to barge in, looking in horror at the snake bitten corpses lying near the sobbing boy.

"They- they wouldn't stop," he whispered. "I don't know why they'd do it. I didn't think they would." His dead parents were taken away for burial, but he was left to mourn on his own. That was the last time he was an accepted citizen of the village. From that day on he was avoided, scorned, hurt, and insulted. He was the snake boy, the one who killed his own parents.

As Erik's mind began to dwell on that awful night, tears began to waver in his violet eyes and his head dropped. He broke into a run, close to the deep grass fields that snakes liked to slither through. He collapsed among the tall, tickly blades, allowing himself to break down. The familiar smooth brush of scales against skin brought the boy's attention to a cobra, its hood expanded as it swayed. As if it was calling them, other snakes began appearing. Despite that they caused the whole mess in the first place, the snakes were Erik's only friends, sad as it was.

The toddles welcomed the scaly beings as they surrounded him, lulling him with a hissing song. He was drifting off to sleep when pain erupted in his arm. A stone dropped to the ground and violet eyes narrowed, focusing on the figure of a boy, one of his main tormentors, nicknamed Arrow for his admittedly impressive throwing skills. The boy's jeering laughter turned into a scream as the cobra who drew the other snakes hissed, opening its mouth wide, rearing high with its hood fully expanded in a show of intimidation. It was menacingly making its way over to Arrow, but a heavy stone smashed into its head, killing it instantly. The villagers had arrived, drawn by the scream. It was a horrifying repeat of that night, only with so many more people. Erik screamed himself hoarse trying to get the snakes to stop, but they advanced on the furious villagers.

"Murderer!" they shouted at the horrified boy. "Monster! Call off your beasts!" That just seemed to infuriate the snakes even more. The next few events happened too quickly to process who did it. Someone lit the tall grass on fire, the dry brown-gold-green blades catching quickly and spreading. Snakes were burnt to death as smoke thickly filled the air.

The villagers' frenzied cries were drowned out by the roar of the fire and Erik's own screams. The boy ran from the fast-spreading grassfire, but the bright flames ate up the dry grass more quickly than he could run. Searing pain engulfed Erik even as he tried to run. He instead felt the gut-wrenching sensation of falling, air rushing by him, intensifying the flames eating away at him.

Shocking cold engulfed the burning child as the flames were doused by the ocean. The tide dragged at Erik, luckily for him towards the shore. The unconscious boy was left on the damp sand, skin and clothes burned away, but a slender purple snake with rudimentary wings wrapped around his right forearm.

Hours passed before a shadowy form descended, causing Erik to stir. Purple eyes slowly blinked open, widening as the boy scrambled backwards, visibly wincing at the raw soreness of his heavy burns. The huge form of a monster loomed over him, blocking the sunlight. It was serpentine, curving sinuously around itself in looping coils. It had molten orange-gold slit-pupiled eyes set in a swirl of reddish purple snakelike scales. It had no horns, but it did have a hoodlike crest colored red-black and purple-black, lightening as it got towards the monster's neck. It had to be longer than the village's circumference twice over, which admittedly wasn't all that large, but that was the only comparison Erik could make. Although it was incredibly long, it had two legs situated towards the front, but no more. The monster's general color scheme varied from bright ,vibrant reds and purples to a more modest blend to near-black purple and red towards the crest and tail. Long reddish purple claws dug deep into the sandy beach, glossy and out-of-place. The creature opened its mouth, revealing tiny, sharp curved teeth lining its gums, more like barbs than actual teeth. Four long, curved white fangs extended towards each other, two on top, two on bottom, much like snake fangs. A long, reddish pink forked tongue flickered in between the fangs, shifting around in quick, blurred movements.

Most incredible about it was a pair of wings, extending from its mid-back. Rather than being batlike, the wings were feathered, colored in the same nature as its scales, the darker colors appearing towards the wingtips. Their total span was around a third of the length of the snake monster.

"Please don't hurt me anymore," whimpered Erik. Surprisingly, the monster spoke, not with words but thoughts.

'I would not hurt one so young as you, especially not one so injured as you.' The thoughts registered as female, low and raspy.

"Are you a monster too?" The question was innocent and heartbreaking.

'I am not monster. I am the Poison Dragon, Gwenwyn. You are no monster either.'

"Everyone says I am. I killed my parents. It's my fault they're dead, so I'm a monster." That sparked the dragon's curiosity.

'How did your parents die, child?'

"They were fighting. They came to my room. There were snakes being nice to me, but they attacked Mommy and Daddy and now they're dead. So it's my fault."

'Snakes do not follow a human's bidding. It was no fault of yours.'

"They're all dead. Burnt, like me."

'The snakes?'

"Attacked Arrow. People got angry. They burnt the field. I ran."

'It was not your fault.'

"It was."

'Let me show you that it wasn't. Come with me to my home. Create a new life under a new name, and I will teach you magic to slay dragons. I will teach you Poison Dragon Slayer magic.'

"Why?"

'I was a mother once. It pains me to see a child in such despair.'

"I wanna leave."

'Then tell me your name.'

"Erik."

'Now choose a new one.' The boy thought, remembering the cobra who called his other friends. Gwenwyn was reminiscent of a cobra too. They were strong and powerful, intimidating, and people were scared of them. People didn't attack them. So, the boy opened his mouth.

"Cobra." The dragon opened her mouth in an almost smile.

'You are a dragon's child now. Climb on my back and don't fall. I will fly you to my home.' Then newly-named Cobra walked up to Gwenwyn's side, grasping smooth scales to pull himself up. He settled between her wings, resting his burnt skin on her cold scales. His clothes were burnt tatters, barely suitable for the weather, much less flight. He was shivering, still cold from falling to the freezing ocean.

"Cold," he muttered.

'I will take you to where you can get clothes.' The dragons grasped at the side of the cliff, long claws easily crumbling rock as she pulled herself up towards the village. Her feathered wings shifted in quick bursts to keep her long body from falling. He was able to scale the cliff within seconds, dragging herself forwards by her front legs when she reached the burnt field until she reached the village. When the villagers emerged, they ran screaming from the enormous shadow of a dragon. When Cobra went to get proper clothing, no one dared to stop him. Finally, dragon and child began the journey, high in the sky through cloud and star.

The maroon-haired child quickly fell asleep, lulled by the rippling movements of Gwenwyn's flight.

'Sleep, my neidr, my snake. Let your burns symbolize your rebirth, from Erik the hated, scorned child to Cobra, who no one will ever hurt again. You will be strong, with magic that slays dragons. Your blood will be the poison of life, your breath the poison of death. You are safe, my neidr, for I am with you. All with tremble before the might of Cobra, son of the Poison Dragon, Gwenwyn.'


	6. Grandeeney's Hatchling

Grandeeney's Hatchling

Since she was born, Wendy was well loved. Her parents cherished her and were willing to lay down their lives for their precious daughter and they made sure she knew it well. The village Wendy was born in was small and peaceable, but it was often attacked by bandits. There were few people who could properly wield a blade, making the village an easy target which bandits naturally took advantage of. The headsman of the village, a wise, competent, and just man known for his pacifistic nature refused to do anything despite that his people were starving and dying every few seasons. He took pride in being known as the man who refused to kill, and that was his flaw. He was a mage, and he specialized in protective spells which he used to guard his people, but he was far from the strongest and the bandits came with more powerful magic users than he.

The people both loved and hated him and as the attacks slowly got worse and worse, people began to leave. Wendy's parents were reluctant to leave with their young daughter, fearful of the chilly nights and the open valley surrounding the village that would leave them all easy targets for sickness and monsters. Finally, as the attacks became too much, they realized that they had to find somewhere with better chances of their daughter's survival to live. Cautiously, they ventured out into the surrounding valley, allowing Wendy to walk alongside them, carrying her when she was too tired, and sought a way out of the mountains forming their valley home.

They wandered for a week before they finally found a mountain pass that lead out of the valley. Slowly traveling through biting winds and the occasional snowstorm, they emerged into a new valley. Wind ripped through the area, easily biting through the thin clothes that the family wore, slowing their progress as they shivered and pressed against the heavy wind. Wendy, despite the howling wind and the biting cold, remained cheerful and optimistic, although shy and impressively clumsy. She was her parents' pride and joy, and she kept their spirits lifted.

It was on their third night in the valley that everything went terribly wrong. Mountain vulcans made their home in the surrounding area and went out into the valley to hunt for easy prey. In that case, it was Wendy and her parents. Huddled together in the fierce wind, the vulcans emerged out of seemingly nowhere, fierce eyes glinting, mouths slobbering. They were hungry, and they had found their food.

Wendy knew in her three-year-old mind that something terrible would happen when she saw the huge white beasts emerge from their mountainous home but fore some inane reason, she wasn't scared. She was sure of her parents' ability to protect her and simply watched the vulcans approach the small family, cutting off any escape. Although she was sure that her parents would not allow harm to fall on her, Wendy let out a small whimper. She was scared for them, scared of the giants that were growling, and scared that her parents wouldn't be able to survive this.

"Wendy, close your eyes, sweetheart," whispered her mother. The small girl obeyed, shutting her wide brown eyes tightly, clapping her hands over her ears as the growling got louder. She felt herself being picked up in the soft arms of her mother. She relaxed slightly, knowing she would be safe with her mother. Her father's lips brushed against her forehead as he told her to be brave. Then Wendy was moving, bouncing up and down in time with her mother's stride and she was terrified.

"Daddy," she whispered into her mother's shoulder. "Mommy, where Daddy?"

"Daddy's going to be alright, sweetheart. Everything will be okay." Her mother's words were comforting, so why did the woman sound scared? Still, Wendy could trust her mother, and if she said that her father would be alright, then he would be. A scream emerged from her mother's mouth, and Wendy held as still as possible. She was set down on the ground, eyes still closed, hands still clapped over her ears, and her mother's presence was gone.

"Run, Wendy! Run as fast as you can!" shouted her mother. "I… I'll be there soon, sweetheart." Wendy opened her eyes to the shadowed valley and ran as fast as her young legs could take her, all the while listening for the sound of her mother following her. There was only silence, but she ran until she couldn't run anymore, instead collapsing into the short grass that lined the valley.

"Mommy," she whispered into the darkness. "Mommy, where are you?" She curled in on herself, waiting for her mother's soft voice or her father's strong arms, or preferably, both. She fell asleep, almost cradled by the howling wind, still hoping for her parents to show up even though she knew in her heart that they weren't coming for her.

* * *

Wendy opened her eyes to clear skies and a bright sun, the wind whipping through the short grass and filling the air with rustling. She stood and stretched and looked around for her parents, but saw no sign of them. She had no idea which way she'd come from, so she settled down to wait some more. The sun crept higher and higher in the sky, yet there was still no sign of either parent, and she was scared and lonely.

She stood up, deciding to look for them and started walking. Thankfully for her, it wasn't the direction she'd run from. The day went on, but Wendy still saw no sign of her mother or father, and by noon, everything hit her and she collapsed on the ground with sobs wracking her tiny body.

"Mommy! Daddy!" she screamed, and forced herself to stand and wander around the valley blurred by her tears. She kept walking, screaming for her parents desperately. She paused, and a soft thump behind her made her turn around. Before her stood a huge, feathered creature, not unlike a massive bird. It was pure white, each feathered wing stretching over a quarter of the valley. Its legs were covered in the same odd tissue that covered birds' legs, ending in talons rather than claws. Its head was flat and blunt, with an almost-crest rising from its head and glowing blue eyes. Its tail was made up of overlapping plates, swirling behind the creature. Fur covered its chest and head in long, soft-looking layers that Wendy wanted to bury her face in. So engrossed in the birdlike thing was she that her tears stopped and all that remained of her sobs were hitched, uneven breaths.

The massive creature lay down on the ground, bending its head to examine the small girl more closely. Wendy thought she should probably run away, but she was tired and lonely. She didn't want to think about the fate of her family, so she joined the creature in sitting.

"I'm Wendy," she stated proudly, voice rough from screaming. "What're you?" The creature tilted its head, confused by the confidence with which the child spoke to it.

"I am Grandeeney, the Sky Dragon."

"You're pretty." The dragon laughed slightly, unsure of how to react to the odd girl who stood in front of her.

"Thank you, strange girl. Might I ask why you're alone in this valley?" The little girl looked down and promptly burst into tears. The Sky Dragon shifted, unsure of how to comfort a human girl. Wendy fixed that problem by burying her face in the soft fur of the dragon's chest, wetting it with her tears.

"Mommy and Daddy are gone. There were monsters, an' they attacked us, an' I ran, an' Mommy said she'd be here but she's not an' I dunno where she is," explained Wendy through her sniffling sobs. The dragon looked down at the small, blue-haired child.

"I will protect you, strange child." The little girl looked up with watery brown eyes.

"You will?" The great dragon nodded firmly, gently wrapping a great paw around Wendy.

"I will do more than that: I will teach you to protect yourself with the very air you breathe. I will teach you the magic of the sky, little hatchling." The human girl's eyes shone with wonder as she stretched her little arms as far as they could go in an attempt to hug Grandeeney.

"Thank you, Grandeeney," she whispered. The dragon released the girl and lowered her wing until it touched the ground.

"Climb on, little one." Wendy clambered onto the feathered wing, pulling herself up by grabbing small tufts of feathers, sliding down more than she made progress. After a few minutes of that, Grandeeney slowly lifted her wing until it tilted up slightly, Wendy sliding down to the juncture of the appendage. Clumsily, the girl righted herself and settled on the dragon's back. With a snap of her wings, Grandeeney flew further and further up to where chilly winds buffeted both dragon and rider but rather than pushing at them, it encased them. Wendy quickly fell asleep, lulled by the rhythmic beat of the dragon's wings and the gentle caress of the wing.

"Sleep, little hatchling. You need not fear again, for I, Grandeeney of the sky have taken you in. You are safe, child. You will grow and you will be strong. I will teach you the magic that slays dragons, my magic, and you will always be able to protect those whom you love. No one will ever die on your watch, my hatchling."


	7. Light and Shadow pt I

Weisslogia's Light and Skiadrum's Shadow Part I

Sting had never been wanted and he knew it. His parents made sure of that. They had barely enough income to care for a child, and they felt no different when it came to time. He was an accidental child who was annoying and got in the way of everything. He was too loud and too nosy and too vibrant. His parents hated it.

His father tried to beat it out of him. A raised voice, a cheerful grin, a quick laugh, all were met with a hand or a foot. Sting smiled and laughed and shouted through the pain and tears and remained seemingly ever the same.

His mother simply ignored him, coldly and pointedly. A question, a cry, a tug at the skirt, all went ignored in the hopes that if he had no one to bother, he'd not be so bothersome. Sting ignored being ignored with his seemingly ever-present cheerfulness.

At one year old, he met Ryos.

The other boy lived right next to him, his situation similar. His mother had left when he was a few days old and his father always smelled sour.

They were opposites.

Ryos was a quiet child, hiding away in the shadows, preferring to go unseen. He seemed, at first glance, scarily emotionless for a child, his small face impasses, his red eyes hard. Black hair hung over his eyes and he didn't speak much.

Sting was cheerful and energetic, his presence loud and noticeable. He seemed to always smile or laugh no matter the circumstances and when he wasn't doing that, he still held strong. Nothing seemed to be able to break him.

Despite that, or possibly because of it, the two took an immediate liking to each other. Sting's cheerful demeanor drew out Ryos' more social side, while Ryos drew out Sting's calmer side. After they met, they were nearly inseparable.

The town the two grew up in was a dark, dreary one. It was rare to see the sun, and the dark, stone buildings reflected that. There were very few children on the street and the ones who did shied away from the two, both scared and disdainful of them. They were strange and always seemed to be hurt, and they were secretive anyway. The adults weren't much better than their children.

That left Sting and Ryos with only each other, not that they minded. To them, the other was the only good thing about the town.

In between their houses was a large tree. It made up for its lack of height, which was still considerable, with its wide branches. It was always covered in dark green leaves and, from spring to fall, held lovely white flowers tucked between the leaves like pearls. The tree held what was quite possibly the only dry spot in the entire town, with the exception of buildings. Its drooping branches formed a little shelter from the rain and eventually, Ryos and Sting's parents. If Ryos was taking shelter under those branches, Sting automatically just _knew_ , and vise versa. They were attuned to each other in a way no one could comprehend.

It was there, underneath the branches that they became best friends. When they first found it, they of course couldn't talk. They were only one, after all, and their parents didn't really focus on teaching them words. Back then they were left alone, for the most part, by their parents. Even people such as them wouldn't go so far as to hit a baby. Even so, Sting and Ryos were not well taken care of. They sheltered each other there, and comforted each other and, when the physical abuse started, tended to each others injuries.

About two years after they met, the people across the street moved out, and just a week after that an old woman moved in. She was the only adult they could stand, they found upon a shy meeting with her. They spent many of their days watching as she bustled around outside, rain, shine, or cloud, kneeling on the damp ground, wrist-deep in dirt. Her garden bloomed with astonishing speed, a jewel in the gray dreariness of the town. Lovely flowers with soft, silky petals in deep reds, bright yellows, delicate blues, and dreamy purples created a veritable treasure trove of jewels surrounded by the usual verdant green grass that came with the near-constant rain. Their delicate fragrances- sweet but not overwhelmingly so, melded together to drift across the street with every breeze.

The young boys were fascinated by the way the old woman handled her garden so carefully and attentively, never failing to be there day in and day out. After a few weeks she started looking up and upon finding them watching her with wide eyes, gave a gentle smile. The next day, they found her digging up various spots around her house and planting bushes there. She looked up and smiled at them again, and they scurried away to their tree.

It took a month for them to gather up their courage and hesitantly wander over to her house. Sting grabbed Ryos' hand nervously while the latter hid partially behind his friend. They almost ran back across the road when they reached the edge of her garden, but her voice stopped them.

"Would you like some berries?" she asked gently. Her silvery hair was pulled into a loose bun, her face wrinkled but kind. Ryos shyly emerged from behind Sting.

"What're those?" asked the dark haired child, red eyes wide. She led them over to a bush and reached between the leaves to pull out plump blue spheres. She handed one to each child.

"Eat it," she encouraged when they simply allowed the berries to stain their hands purple. Sting went first, letting it slide between his barely parted lips and biting down in a burst of not-quite-bitter juices. His eyes widened and he turned to Ryos.

"S'good!" he said. His friend immediately ate the berry and nodded in agreement.

"Would you like to pick some to bring home?" asked the woman. At the mention of home, Ryos tightly grasped Sting's hand.

"Papa wouldn't like it," he whispered. The woman's eyes softened.

"Then you can stay here and eat all you like. There are plenty, you see, and I couldn't possibly use them all." Sting and Ryos shared a look before nodding eagerly.

"Thank you, Miss," said Sting politely.

"By the way, what are your names?" asked the woman.

"Sting. That's Ryos."

"Well, Sting and Ryos, you two are welcome in my garden any time. Feel free to take as many berries as you like, too. Those are blueberries-" the woman pointed at the bush they stood next to, "-and those are raspberries." She pointed to a thorny bush before adding, "Those thorns are sharp, so be careful when picking them. I'm going to work with my flowers, but don't hesitate to call me over." She walked away to kneel by some lovely purple flowers, leaving the two boys standing next to the blueberry bush. They started there, a bit nervous about putting picked berries straight into their mouth, especially when it was someone else's, but eventually relaxed. Eventually they moved onto the raspberry bush, enjoying the sweet taste but wrinkling their noses at the way the tiny seeds caught in their teeth.

They filled up quickly, but wandered over to the purple flowers they first saw the woman working on. Together they crouched down to look at them more closely, admiring the way white sprayed up from the center. It didn't have a scent, but it was lovely.

"That's called a crocus," said the woman from behind them. They both jumped and flinched in surprise. "Sorry for startling you. Those are crocus flowers. They don't have a scent, but they're my favorites. They symbolize youthful gladness, and they thrive even in the early winter. They live for over two years and come back each summer. They're hardy flowers." She then led them around the garden, naming every type of flower she owned and telling a bit more about them. The two children were stunned by her knowledge of her garden, as the names jumbled together in their heads- crocus, rose, violet, tansy, poppy, pansy, lilac, bluebell, lily, and so many more.

It was growing dark when the woman took a break from teaching them about her garden. When they realized how late it was, Sting and Ryos left in a panic with a quick thank you and goodbye. Sting's parents were asleep and, when he looked over at Ryos' house, he found that his friend's father was too.

Over the next three months, Sting and Ryos spent their days at the woman's house. They never actually learned her name, simply referring to her as 'Miss,' and she began to act as a teacher to them. Not only did she tell the two about her flowers, but she also began teaching them how to read and write. On the rainier days, she took them inside her house where there would inevitably be some sort of baked good- raspberry scones, blueberry pie, pancakes, and even a cake once. It would be dark when they two boys left, and their parents would be asleep by the time they slipped into their respective houses.

Then everything went wrong.

 **A/N: Because I have Sting and Ryos/Rogue growing up together, I will combine their stories of how they met Weisslogia and Skiadrum, rather than retelling the same thing from each of their perspectives. I will, however, keep it as two different chapters. I promise, the second part will be up tomorrow.**


	8. Light and Shadow pt II

Weisslogia's Light and Skiadrum's Shadow Part II

As usual, Sting and Ryos spent their day at the old woman's house. She had baked a raspberry pie for them and had to gently steaming slices waiting for them when they knocked. She'd told them awhile ago that they could just come in whenever they wished without knocking, but they couldn't bring themselves to enter without invitation.

As they sat at the table, eating pie and stumbling their way through reading, Ryos realized something.

"When'd we go to our tree?" he asked curiously. Sting looked up in surprised thoughtfulness.

"I dunno. A while?" A bit slower than his friend, Sting realized what the dark-haired boy was getting at. They had traded their tree in for the woman. Rather than running beneath those branches when they needed to get away, they ran to the old woman's house. They felt safer there than they had beneath the long branches of the tree the woman had identified as a weeping willow. It seemed fitting that that was their shelter.

The woman entered the room putting on a coat and slipping a key inside her pocket.

"I'm sorry to ask this, but I have to go to town to pick some things up and I'd rather not have you alone here. Could you go home, just until I'm back?" Ryos shrunk against Sting's side, but they nodded.

"Yes, Miss." Sting finished off his piece newest piece of pie in a few bites, then grabbed Ryos' hand. The woman watched as they went, not to their respective houses, but the weeping willow and slipped beneath its branches. With a bad feeling, she left for town to buy some sort of present for the two boys she had grown so fond of. There was something not quite right about their parents and the way they acted, something she promised herself she'd find out. With that final thought, she walked down the street.

Meanwhile, Sting and Ryos sat side-by-side beneath the weeping willow's branches. Ryos leaned on Sting's shoulder as they talked. The branches rustled as the wind picked up. They shivered.

"I don't wanna go inside," said Ryos.

"M'cold," protested Sting.

"Papa's gonna be mad." They stayed outside awhile longer. The wind blew even harder, causing the delicate branches to sway and spray the boys with droplets. Sting got hit lightly with a long, slender branch. Ryos shivered.

"Fine, we can go inside." They reluctantly crawled out from their hiding spot and went inside, only to find their fathers there, waiting.

Sting's father greeted him with a slap, Ryos' with a punch, and it descended from there.

"You think you can hide from me in that decrepit old woman's place?" demanded Ryos' father.

"You think that old wench'll protect you?" demanded Sting's father. Neither man gave their child a chance to answer. A heavy punch knocked Ryos' down, and hard kicks met his chest. Sting was shoved into the door, probably bruising his back, with a meaty hand on his throat while another fist met his face continuously.

"You like her so much, go live with her!" shouted Ryos' father.

"I never want to look at you unsightly face again, you ungrateful little wretch," snarled Sting's father. Ryos crawled towards the door. Sting clawed at his father's hand. Ryos' father kicked his son straight into the door. Sting's father let go of his son. Both boys scrambled out the door and into the rain, mindless of the harsh wind that send droplets stinging against them.

The woman still wasn't back when they ran outside to each other, Sting grabbing Ryos' hand the moment it was in reach. Disappointed that they wouldn't get to say goodbye to her, the two boys looked sadly at the familiar house with the jewel-bright flowers outside of it before running down the street, away from that horrible town.

They ended up dashing through a forest, tiny branches whipping at their faces, stumbling and tripping over roots and low bushes, keeping a straight path. The adrenaline wore off as they left the cover of the trees and entered a wide, open field. Sting's face was covered in blood. His nose was bleeding, both cheeks swollen, and there was a long cut over his left eye. Dark bruises ringed his neck in the shape of hands and when he removed his shirt, his back was discolored.

Ryos, on the other hand, was left with a handprint on his cheek but no other overt injuries. His chest and stomach, however, were a different matter. Dark bruises littered the pale skin and a few ribs stuck out at odd angles. Blood trickled from the side of his head and Sting's gentle hands revealed a cut hidden by his dark hair.

Pain and exhaustion overwhelmed them and, after fixing each other up as best they could, the two curled up next to each other and fell asleep. They were jolted awake when the ground shook and a resounding roar hurt their ears. They scrambled to stand, Ryos shouting in pain as the movement hurt his ribs. The dark-haired boy gripped his blonde companion's hand tightly and they stood, trembling, together as two massive shadows moved over them.

A pair of monsters lighted before them. They were bigger than anything the boys had ever seen before, dwarfing them easily. The one who stood before Sting was white in color, shaggy fur covering his stomach. The same fur fell from his chin and head in a sort of beard and long hair, creeping up the outline of his angelic wings. White deer-like horns protruded from his head. His muzzle was long and slender, his eyes a glowing yellow-white.

At the white monster's side was a darker companion. He was covered in thick, pure black scales and shadows seem to roll off of him. Curved, shadowy spines started on his head between two jagged horns and continued down his back. Scaly wings were folded at his sides. Pure red eyes glowed brightly against his dark scales and his muzzle was shorter than his white companion's. They looked similar in shape, though opposite in color. The white monster's long neck bent down to look more closely at the pair while the shadow one stayed upright.

"D-don't hurt Ryos!" a trembling Sting tried to order. His voice came out as a hoarse whisper and he winced as he agitated his bruised throat. Even so, he stood protectively over his friend, blue eyes fierce. His shirt had been torn up to form rudimentary bandages, along with Ryos' shirt and he shivered slightly.

"Why would I wish to hurt two young'uns who are so clearly injured?" asked the white monster.

"Let us leave them be, Weisslogia," said the shadowy monster, shifting slightly. "They are young and injured and not for us to bother. They will bring humans looking for us if we take them."

"What're you?" asked Ryos quietly as he moved to stand next to Sting. His red eyes were as fierce as his friend's. His chest was wrapped in the ragged remains of his and his friend's shirts, but they weren't tied tightly enough to support his ribs. He flinched as the bones shifted.

"Dragons," replied the shadowy creature simply.

"D'you wanna hurt us?" It seemed that Ryos would have to be the spokesperson for the two, because Sting was in no shape to talk.

"No. Weisslogia and I are not ones for harming humans, especially not their young. It would seem that you have come across others who do not share our mindset." The shadowy dragon shifted again to allow himself a better view of the injured children.

"Skiadrum, did you not just say that we should leave them be?" asked the White dragon, Weisslogia apparently, with slight humor.

"You do not seem inclined to leave," replied Skiadrum.

"I would follow were you to fly off."

"And I will stay, as you seem to wish to do." The dragons looked at each other oddly, in a way that reminded the two boys of how the old woman had looked during the rare moments she talked to them about her deceased husband and grown up daughter. They didn't recognize it.

"U-um, why aren't you leaving?" Ryos interrupted the moment between the two dragons. They swung their heads to look at him and he trembled.

"I could ask the same of you, little shadow child," replied Weisslogia. Again, his voice was amused.

"S'not like we could," whispered Sting.

"Most would try to, little light."

"Then they're stupid, like everyone back home." Sting's voice was as disdainful as a three-year-old's could get. Weisslogia shook and rumbled, and it took the two human children a few seconds to realize the dragon was laughing.

"You amuse me, little light. What might have caused a human child to form such an opinion of his own kind?" Sting and Ryos looked sad.

"Our parents don't like us," Ryos said quietly.

"And those injuries- they were inflicted on you by your parents?" The shadowy dragon was using lots of big words neither child understood, but Ryos managed to get the gist of it.

"Papa don't like me. Sting's dad don't either," repeated Ryos. The dragons rumbled, but this time it clearly wasn't a laugh.

"Do you have somewhere to go, then?" asked Skiadrum. Both boys shook their heads.

"How would you like to come with us?" Weisslogia offered gently.

"Live with dragons?" Sting tried to ask. He ended up mouthing it as his voice gave out.

"Yes, little light. You would live with Skiadrum and me and several other dragons. We would protect you."

"I wanna stay with Sting." Ryos tightened his hold on Sting's hand.

"-an o," whispered the blonde. He only managed to get those two sounds to emerge from his mouth, but Ryos could understand what he said.

"I'll go wherever Sting goes," announced the dark haired child.

"I will carry you, little shadow child, and Weisslogia will carry your friend." With that, Skiadrum looped his tail around for Ryos to climb up, while Weisslogia did the same for Sting. The two dragons flared their wings and with a powerful downward thrust, shot into the air. Sting clung to Weisslogia's neck, burying himself as best he could in the warm fur while Ryos sat between Skiadrum's spines. Sting was quick to fall asleep, nested in the thick, soft fur of the White dragon. Ryos fell asleep less easily, his ribs still paining him and Skiadrum not quite as built for comfort for a rider. He managed to find a position to sleep in as his eyes grew heavier and heavier. They were free.


	9. House Building

House Building

It's Natsu who has the idea. The fiery pink-haired boy announces it on one of the many bright, warm summer days spent lounging around in the same general area in their favorite places, the seven made lazy and good-natured by the hot sun shining down on them. Wendy is high up in the branches, embraced by a gentle breeze while the others sit in various places around her tree.

"Gus… We're all nakama, right?" The others make various sounds of agreement, too lazy to formulate real answers. "We should make a place for all of us. Somewhere we can hang out and sleep in." The others look vaguely interested in Natsu's idea except for Cobra, who lays with his eyes closed, hands crossed behind his head as he soaks in the warm sunlight in a very snakelike manner.

"S'a nice idea, Flamebrain," Laxus says, remaining in his relaxed position for a few more minutes before sitting up. Wendy floats down from her perch, gentle breezes easily supporting her tiny body. The others slowly sit up too, even Cobra who blinks rapidly as his vision adjusts to the light.

"I agree, Natsu, it's a nice idea, but do any of us know how t'make a shelter?" Gajeel asks, cynical as ever.

"That'll make it even more fun! We can figure it out as we go." Natsu's cheerful demeanor is contagious as he jumps up. "C'mon guys!" The others all get to their feet and the seven begin to wander around, searching for somewhere to build their place. The grassy field beneath open skies where they train gets a unanimous vote and they get to work.

They find a patch of sturdy trees, and Gajeel somehow manages to lengthen his arms and turn them into serrated blades. Within minutes, the group has a pile of logs that they have no idea what to do with.

"Lean them against each other like a campfire?" Natsu suggests.

"Then we'll get wet when it rains," argues Sting.

"We can cover it with cloth."

"Then the cloth will get wet and drip onto us if it doesn't take the whole thing down with it." It's rare for Sting to be the voice of reason. One of the younger of the group and also far from the smartest, taking after Natsu in that respect, he generally sides with his idol.

"Fine! You come up with an idea then, stupid!" Natsu retorts.

"Stupid? Is that the best you can come up with, Flamehead?"

"You wanna fight?"

"If you wanna lose!" Natsu and Sting are nose to nose when a blast of lightning halts their fight. The bright electricity clears, revealing an annoyed looking Laxus.

"We're not gonna build anything if you two start fighting," points out the eldest of the group, arms crossed. "Not only will it get us all distracted, it'll probably destroy those logs Gajeel just cut."

"We still don't know how to build a house," says Wendy. They stand thoughtfully for awhile, then Natsu suddenly runs off. The others ignore his antics, still considering their plan, and the pink-haired boy returns in a few minutes with a long stick. He kneels on the ground and scrapes away leaves, twigs, and other forest debris, leaving a large patch of loose dirt behind.

"We can draw our plans here," he explains. It's a surprisingly smart idea. He starts drawing on the dirt and a crude picture of a campfire-like structure emerges with leaves filling in the gaps.

"Won't work," Sting says stubbornly. The others agree with the blonde, who looks triumphantly at Natsu. He then snatches the stick away and kicks the drawing into a blank patch of dirt again. He comes up with a classic house with a square building and triangular roof.

"Too complicated for us to make," Laxus shoots down. A few more ideas appear on the dirt, all of them shot down by the others as being too unstable, too complicated, beyond their capabilities, and a few that are classified as downright stupid.

Wendy has the best idea. As a Sky Dragon Slayer, Grandeeney has her bird watching quite a bit to observe the way the birds manipulate the air with their wings and tails. The little girl takes her idea from a bird's nest, and the way they weave twigs together to make it. She kneels on the ground and carefully draws out a structure woven out of twigs, tongue sticking out as she concentrates. The only fault the others can find in it is that there will probably be holes for rain to fall through. They're not sure how to remedy that, but decide that hers is the most foolproof out of all of their ideas and they really don't want to spend any more time thinking.

They decide that they can use the log pile for firewood later, because it can't be used in Wendy's design. The seven set to work climbing trees and breaking off the largest branches they can find. It's almost noon and they've been gathering for two hours, but they still don't have anywhere near enough sticks for their building. The dragons find them taking a break, lounging against the pile of sticks.

"What are you seven planning?" asks Grandeeney fondly.

"We're making a house," replies Wendy happily. "We're gonna sleep in it and talk in it when it's raining or when we wanna spend time with just each other." The dragons look rather interested.

"What's the pile of sticks for?" Igneel asks, leaning his head town to the wood. The other thirteen, dragon and human alike, frantically try to keep him away from the flammable pile, worried about him attempting to burn it and ruining all their hard work.

"Wendy came up with the idea," explains Gajeel. "We're gonna weave the sticks together, but we haven't gathered enough for it."

"We can help you gather sticks," offers Weisslogia, raising his paw and extending his long, sharp claws. The young slayers eagerly accept their draconic parents' help and after another hour, they have more than enough to start building.

The seven spend the rest of the afternoon wrestling with the long branches, fighting to weave them together and nearly crying with frustration as time and time again, their attempts spring apart or are too loose. Cobra has the idea of stabilizing the weave by tying long pieces of grass around the intersections. He and Cubelios then go off for half an hour and return with Gwenwyn carrying two massive bundles of the long grass the seven know she likes to sleep in. Armed with strands of sturdy, stubborn grass, they quickly realize it's too moist and snaps too easily. Natsu solves it by jets of flame over the bundles, supervised carefully by Gajeel, as Wendy uses the wind to carry the heat of Dragon Slayer Fire over the grass, slowly but surely drying it out. The return to their weaving and end up with three and a third large, mostly straight mats of woven sticks, bits of grass sticking out everywhere. It's more watertight than they expect when they test it out on a nearby lake. Each mat is almost twice as tall as Laxus and their width is at least three times his height. Cobra had worked on his mat with Cubelios, so hadn't gotten as far as his fellow Dragon Slayers, but, they decided, they could make separate ones and form a crude doorway with it.

Together, the seven slayers wrestle with their woven stick-mats before realizing they need some way of keeping them upright. Sting comes up with the idea of making trenches in the ground with their Roar attacks. They decide to make it go half-way up Laxus' lower legs and get to work, burning and searing and blowing and striking and cutting the ground away. They wrestle a mat into a trench which is a bit too long on either side. It leans one way or the other, but it stays upright. They forcefully slide it to one end the trench and pack the ground back in on either side. The first wall is erected.

The rest go up more easily and the children soon have three walls forming a crooked sort of rectangle. There are noticeable gaps where each wall meets, and they spend the rest of the dwindling sunlight using excess grass to tie the walls together. Wendy, Sting, and Rogue are heaved on top of Laxus, Gajeel, and Natsu's shoulders to reach the higher points on the wall. Like stitching a hole in a cloth, the three walls are drawn tightly together.

The house isn't complete- they still need a roof and a side with an a point of entry, but the dragon slayers curl up together in the partly-finished structure.

It doesn't rain that night.

All seven of them get up early the next morning, eager to finish their structure. It takes much less time to make two more stick-mats for one side of the door and above it. It takes a bit more maneuvering to stand them upright but they manage. A crude doorway is formed. The top is slanted downwards to the left it's wide enough to fit Laxus and Gajeel side by side, but it was built by them.

Then comes the issue of a roof. Although summer in Draconia is almost entirely sunny, as it gets closer to winter, rain pours down seemingly every few days. The young slayers stand looking proudly at their creation as they consider the problem.

Natsu wants to use a mat of leaves. Wendy thinks they could make another stick mat for the roof and ask the dragons to put it on top. Laxus and Gajeel shoot down those ideas without offering any of their own. In the end the seven are completely stumped.

"I still think my idea would work," Wendy insists stubbornly. She's the cutest of the group, but she has a wicked streak a mile wide. Her brown eyes grow large and watery as she says, "Please can we try my idea?" The others' hearts melt at that and they reluctantly agree to use leftover sticks to make another mat.

Wendy hides a horrifyingly evil smirk before hugging each of her honorary brothers respectively.

They get to work and with all seven of them working on the same weaving, it takes longer than the day before. Sting, Natsu, and Gajeel keep shoving each other forcefully and Laxus eventually send them flying apart with a well-places lightning strike. He just barely misses the mat, but does light one end on fire. Rogue and Wendy are quick to put it out. Laxus gets frustrated with the slow progress and gets increasingly moodier, snapping at anyone who tries talking to him. He yells at Wendy when she tries to calm him down and she starts crying. In her emotional state, the wind started picking up, eventually lifting the partially finished wooden mat off the ground and sending it soaring above the group.

At least, that's what Wendy will tell them whenever they ask about it.

Laxus frantically tries to calm the little Dragon Slayer down, looking at the others with pleading eyes for help. He's not really good at the whole 'comfort' thing.

"Some brothers you are," he growls when they simply sit their watching him with matching grins on their face, even Rogue and Cobra. They simply shrug.

"We'll help if you make it worse," Natsu explains, laughing. Finally Laxus gets Wendy calmed down by promising to do anything she wants the next day. He misses another horrifying evil look that flashes across her face but her other honorary brothers don't.

Finally, the seven get back on track and finish the roof with no more incidents. Wendy calls Grandeeney over and the Sky Dragon gently sets the roof on top of the walls. It sags in the middle. Natsu runs off to god-knows-where and comes back with a long, sturdy branch he uses to prop up the middle of the roof. Astonishingly enough, he doesn't knock the entire, not very stable structure down.

The slayers sit back and admire their work. They then use excess long grass to cover the ground with and they have a crooked sort of house. Their project finished, they spend the rest of the day training and learning from their draconic parents.

Later in the evening, they return proudly to their house. The wind is picking up and rain begins to fall from the cloudless sky. Laxus says there will be a storm that night, which the others believe. He always knows when his favorite weather is coming.

They set up a campfire next to the house, Natsu keeping it burning despite the progressively heavier rain that threatens to put it out. They enjoy the weather as they cook some pigs that Natsu kills in the forest. As they chat amiably, the wind picks up even more until it's howling. A loud crash sounds nearby, causing all of them to flinch. They look around to see what caused the sound, and Sting looks in horror at the house they worked so hard on. The other six turn to see what's wrong and they all stare blankly at the collapsed structure. The ground that the walls are sunk into has turned to mud and the wet sticks are more pliable than ever. One of the walls is completely broken just about the ground and the others have followed it.

Wendy starts to cry and this time, all her brothers comfort her though disappointment weighs heavily on them. Sadly, they stand and trudge off towards Igneel and Natsu's cave to spend the night where it would be warmest.

"Natsu? Weren't you staying at the… house you built?" Igneel asks when he sees his pink-haired foster son. Natsu pretends not to notice the long pause and the skeptical tone when Igneel says 'house.'

"It fell over," is Natsu's depressed reply. "It's warm in here, so we're sleeping here." With that, ignoring any protests Igneel might have, the Fire Dragon Slayer curls up in the crook of Igneel's folded left foreleg. The others situate themselves around the heat of the enormous Fire Dragon and are quickly snoring.

* * *

The next morning, the seven dragon slayers wake up in Igneel's cave alone. The sun shines brightly through the cave entrance, telling them that it's late in the morning. They stretch and sadly walk out of the cave to their training field, unsure of what to do. They're surprised when they see the seven dragons crowded in the field, which was not meant for seven dragons to crowd in. It's rather amusing to watch as Igneel sends a puff of flame at Astrapi for stabbing him with her sharp scales, Gwenwyn bite Metalicana for accidentally hitting her with a blunt tale, Astrapi shock Weisslogia for getting in her way, Skiadrum get scolded by Weisslogia for sitting in shadow form so he can't get touched or touch anything, and Grandeeney hovering above the group, laughing at the way her friends snap at each other.

The young slayers stare in surprise at the scene, unsure of what's going on. Grandeeney spots them, the only one not caught up in the tangle of wings, tails, necks, and legs.

"We have company," she announces, clearly trying not to laugh. The other dragons freeze like guilty children caught sneaking candy and turn to look at their confused children.

"Oi, Brat, don't laugh at me," growls Metalicana.

"Astrapi? What exactly is happening?" Laxus asks.

"It was Igneel's idea," Weisslogia explains, rather than the Lightning Dragon. He gets shocked for that. "He said you spent the night in his cave because your house fell down." To his credit, the White Dragon manages to call it a house in an even tone. It's clear to the young slayers that none of their draconic foster parents ever thought their hard work could be considered a building.

"So?" asks Sting excitedly as the seven begin to realize where this is going.

"So we have a surprise for you," Skiadrum explains, leaving his shadow form only to get pummeled by his mate and best friend for escaping the wrath of five other dragons packed in a not-that-big area. With no small amount of relief, the six dragons on the ground shuffle around and eventually each gains enough room to lift off and hover in the air where they have much more space.

A round, hut-like building is revealed. It's made out of some sort of grass, but doesn't seem to be affected in the least by the gentle breeze that runs through the clearing. It has no door, but an open entryway that is tall enough for all of them to go in without ducking their heads.

"How?" asks Wendy in slight awe.

"We built this for you," replies Grandeeney warmly. "All of you."

"I mean, how did you build this?" Grandeeney smiles slyly at that,

"We have to keep some secrets, little Hatchling." The seven dragons' eyes mist over as they shudder slightly in horror at the ordeal they went through building the hut.

They slayers enter and find it cozy and warm inside with plenty of space for all of them to sleep without fear of bumping into anyone else. The ground is covered in a thick, soft mat of grass that's comfortable to lay on. They don't stay inside long, running outside to thank the dragons profusely.

The spend that night in the hut, curled up together happily and talking lazily with progressively more slurred words until they're all contentedly asleep.


	10. The Storm's Lullaby

The Storm's Lullaby

Laxus Dreyar is a hard person to understand. He hides himself behind his arrogance, but part of him truly is the person that he pretends. He's the eldest of the Dragon Slayers and he's the most complicated. The calmest the others have ever seen him is beneath the flashing sky at night, surrounded by bright lightning and glinting rain. During one of the storms that strikes Draconia, they wake up to the deep rumble of thunder and Laxus missing from his bed.

Though they live with their draconic foster parents, as they grew closer they decided that they should build an enclosure to sleep in on nights when they wanted human company. Tonight is one of those nights.

The remaining six Dragon Slayers creep out of their beds, quietly slipping out the door and into the heavy, pounding rain. They find Laxus nearby, laying on the ground, arms under his head, mindless of the mud and strands of wet grass that stain his night clothes.

"Laxus-sama?" whispers the Sky Dragon Slayer. He looks up at them, blue eyes bright even in the darkness. There's a strange calm on his face, one that his siblings have never seen before. He's peaceful, and completely relaxed, a rare state for the Lightning Dragon Slayer. He returns to laying on the ground, watching the sky, blinking furiously as raindrops try to fall in his eyes. The others stand there, hair and clothes dripping, bare feet muddy and wet.

"Well?" he asks, "You gonna' join me?" The others briefly pause before slowly making their way to the ground next to Laxus. Wendy is on one side of him, Natsu on the other. As they look up at the storm, they understand why Laxus is out here.

Rain pounds down on their faces, the myriad of water droplets rushing to meet them giving the illusion of a falling sky. Despite the rain, it's mostly clear, the shadows of a few dark clouds just barely showing up against a dark blue, nearly black, sky. Bright flashes of lightning light up the sky, bouncing off of shimmering raindrops. The steady boom crash boom crash of the thunder and lightning is a comforting sound, one that lulls the Dragon Slayers into a drowsy half-sleep.

"Laxus-sama?" whispers Wendy. Blue eyes flicker to meet her brown ones. "Why did you come out here?" She barely wants to break the peaceful silence, but her curiosity is too much. A soft, throaty sigh sounds, and she realizes that it's Laxus making that sound.

"S'my link," he says simply. "My link to Fairy Tail."

"How?"

"I had some nakama there, loyal to me to the core. They stood by me no matter what. Even called themselves the Rajinshuu- the Thunder God Tribe in testament to me. The night I ran away, there was a storm, just like this one. Was how I met Mom. Now they remind me of my promise, that I'd go back to them one day. I promised them I'd go back, no matter how long it took." The rough voice is soft, almost warm, and it holds the full extent of the affection he holds for the friends he left behind.

"Tell me about the Rajinshuu?" Surprisingly, it's Natsu who asks, his voice as soft as the others. The lightning storm calms him as much as the others, the fierce, steady beat of Nature's power taming what it seems nothing else can. Laxus smiles slightly, fondly, but his head is tilted so the other's can't see it.

"There're three members aside from me," he begins softly, almost in a whisper. "The one who started it was a Rune Mage named Freed Justine." There's warmth in his voice as he says that name, warmth and longing and wistfulness. "Crazy bastard, overly affectionate and almost annoyingly loyal. He's the one that named our team, after me. Practically worships me." A soft chuckle and a slight shake of the head, as though Laxus can't figure out why. "He got Evergreen, a Fairy Mage with Stone Eye magic to join next. Girliest person I've ever known. Cares about appearances and makeup and hair and shopping and whatnot, but damn she's almost as loyal as Freed." Again, a chuckle and head shake. It's clear that Laxus misses them dearly, more so than he would ever admit. "Final one to join was Bickslow, a Seith Mage. Eccentric bastard that one, and I've got doubts about his sanity. Even so, he's just as loyal as the other two. Those three, they always stood by me, protecting and defending me even when I didn't need it. Always fighting for me…" The Lightning Dragon Slayer trails off, electric blue eyes staring blankly into the stormy skies.

"Laxus-sama…" whispers Wendy with sympathy.

"They sound like incredible people." It's surprisingly Rogue who speaks this time, his quiet, mellow voice wistful, as though he wishes to have people like that following him. Sting, Frosch, and Lector pick up on this.

"You got us, Rogue!" It's Sting who breaks the quiet with his loud voice, the White Dragon Slayer unable to stay silent for long periods of time.

"Fro thinks so too!"

"Sting-kun's right! We're always here for you!" Lector joins in, and the group realizes that at some point, the Exceeds and Cubelios have joined them. Rogue smiles softly, raising a hand to pat Frosch on the head, brushing Sting's shoulder in acknowledgement as he returns to his former position.

"I know," he says softly, warmly, with genuine affection in his voice.

"We're all here for each other," Natsu speaks now, voice still soft as the peaceful quiet returns to the group. "Right?"

"Mmm!" Wendy agrees, and the others join in. Laxus smiles softly, and this time the others notice.

"See, Sparky?" Gajeel's soft, rough tones join in. "You've nakama here too." Laxus bristles at the nickname, but then softens, understanding its affectionate use. They fall into a peaceful silence again, the storm still surrounding them. This is not the thrilling feeling that Laxus felt on the day that he met Astrapi. This is peace, complete and utter relaxation, and he's not sure if he prefers this to the thrill of flying as part of the storm.

"Laxus… Everyone… you know you're my family, right?" Natsu breaks the silence with his quiet, heartfelt words. "You're all my brothers and Wendy is my sister." The others soon agree with Natsu as Laxus lies there, lost in his thoughts.

"Laxus-nii-sama?" Wendy's soft voice jolts him to the present. "I love you, Nii-sama." As Laxus' heart fills with warmth, he decides that this, lying beneath the stars and the rain and the lightning, is better, much better, than the thrill of flying with the storm.

As he slowly falls asleep, he thinks to himself with renewed determination, Freed… Evergreen… Bickslow… I'm going back to you. I'm going back someday. Because… I miss you guys. But the dull ache of loneliness doesn't hurt so much, isn't as noticeable, because there, underneath the stormy skies as he falls asleep to the storm's lullaby, Laxus is content because here, on Draconia, he has truly found family.


	11. Interlude: The Rajinshuu

Interlude I: The Rajinshuu

The mages of Fairy Tail had always been incredibly nosy. Not for truly personal matters- everyone had their demons and there was no point in drudging up the past. In other matters, however, boundaries did not exist.

One of the simplest, yet strangely fascinating mysteries in the guild was the Thunder God Tribe. Naturally, Gray Fullbuster had to ask. It was a random occurrence, nothing in particular sparking the question, but the curiosity had been going for years. So, one evening, Gray went up to the three members of the group and opened his mouth.

"Where did you get your glasses? And you your sword and long hair and you your dolls?" Each question was directed at a specific person. "Macao says none of you had them when you first joined." Evergreen, Bickslow, and Freed shared a look before Bickslow shrugged and spoke up.

"Laxus gave them to us. Well, Freed's hair was a different source, but his sword is from Laxus." The impatient look Gray gave him made it clear that it wasn't enough.

"Do you really want to hear?" Everyone, even Makarov, agreed enthusiastically.

"Gather 'round, kiddies. You're in for a tale. I was four and recently joined."

 _*Flashback*_

 _Bickslow hadn't been in Fairy Tail for long, and while the older members made an effort to make him feel welcome, he knew he scared people. His brilliant green eyes emphasized by overly long lashes were off-putting, his magic even more so. He was a Seith mage, his. His eye magic controlled people and his souls. Pappa, Peppe, Pippi, Poppo, and Puppu went unseen by everyone else, so it looked like he was talking to himself. For a week he remained an outcast until he was approached by a long, green-haired boy about a year younger than him._

 _"People don't like you," the boy stated matter-of-factly, though there was sympathy in his blue-green eye. The other remained hidden by a clump of green hair. The boy dressed fancily in a long red coat, a cream button-up shirt, black pants, boots, a wide belt, and a ruffled cravat. Avoiding looking up, Bickslow asked, "Who are you?" It wasn't rude, just curious._

 _"I'm Freed Justine. You're Bickslow, and you scare people because of your magic." The boy, Freed, was very straightforward._

 _"Y-yeah, I'm a Seith mage."_

 _"Want to sit with us?" The question was abrupt, but the offer was welcome. BY the glance towards a table occupied by a girl dressed like a fairy and a spike blonde-haired boy, 'us' meant them plus Freed._

 _"They won't mind?"_

 _"I'll introduce you." Rather stunned, Bickslow slowly nodded, following Freed to the table in the back corner. The boy didn't look up and the girl only spared a quick glance before staring at the table._

 _"Laxus, Ever, this is Bickslow, a Seith mage. Bickslow, this is Evergreen, a stone and Fairy mage, and Laxus a," Freed paused, quickly sharing a look with the blonde boy. It was clear they were having a silent conversation. "Lightning Dragon Slayer, second generation," finished Freed. "I'm a Rune mage, by the way." Bickslow nodded quietly, rather uncharacteristically shy. As Freed slid next to the blonde boy, he stood awkwardly. Startling blue-grey eyes glared up at him._

 _"Well?" demanded Laxus, "Aren't you goin' to take a seat?" Slowly the Seith mage sat as Freed looked at the Dragon Slayer chastisingly._

 _"He means, 'welcome.'" Bickslow raised a thin eyebrow in surprise and doubt._

 _"Trust Freed," Evergreen spoke up, "He speaks Laxus fluently, and while he probably paraphrases a lot, he doesn't like about what he translates." This earned her a glare from both mages which she returned with equal ferocity. Bickslow allowed himself to relax, enjoying the company for the first time since joining. He preferred this to any verbal welcome because he felt like a part of the group this way._

 _His contentment lasted briefly, ending with a familiar soul' presence. Pippi hovered worriedly._

 _"What is it, Pippi?" he whispered, hoping not to be heard._

 _"Poppo's missing," was the frantic reply. "No sign of him." The other three souls echoed the speaker, and Bickslow began looking around the room, hoping for a glimpse of his missing soul. The sheer amount of people, souls shining and drowning everything out, made that impossible._

 _"Poppo," Bickslow called softly. He tried not to let his worry show on his face. "Poppo, where are you?" His vibrant green eyes flickered up to see the other three at the table looking at him._

 _"Who's Poppo?" asked Laxus rather gruffly._

 _"He's one of my souls," replied Bickslow self-consciously. "He's missing and I can't find him with all these people." A brief pause and the blonde boy stood. Though of average height and size, the lightning that cloaked him gave him an air of authority._

 _"Want me to shut 'em up so you can find your soul?" Surprised at the offer, Bickslow silently nodded his agreement._

 _"Oi, everyone! Shut up for once in your lives!" Lightning backed his authority, and the guild went silent. A look from blue-grey eyes told Bickslow to get on with it._

 _"Poppo," he called nervously, "come out!" A few seconds later, the soul drifted into sight from a crack in the ceiling. The guild stared at him, but a lightning-flashing glare made them go back to what they were doing. Laxus sat back down and began talking quietly with Freed, drowned out by the return of the noise._

 _"You worried me," whispered Bickslow to the soul who huddled against him._

 _"Sorry." The green-eyed boy simply rolled his eyes before looking up to see it was getting dark._

 _"I'm gonna head home," he announced. Receiving small signs of acknowledgment, he left._

* * *

 _The next day, Bickslow arrived at the guild rather early and found Evergreen sitting at the table. She looked up as he approached, dark brown eyes flashing._

 _"Why did Freed talk to you?" she asked straightforwardly. The group was apparently very blunt._

 _"People are scared of my eye magic. Figure Eyes lets me control people, but I can't control it." Sympathy played over the girl's face, but before she could reply, Laxus announced his presence by slamming the door open. Freed stood beside him, a small bag in his hand. The two went over to their table and Freed handed the bag over to Laxus, who offered it to Bickslow. Dumping the contents onto the table revealed five totems, each with different expressions painted on it. Confused, he looked at Freed in askance._

 _"For your souls." It was Laxus who replied. "Freed says you can put them in objects. I figure it'll be easier to keep track of them." Gratitude shown in vibrant green eyes as Bickslow quickly explained it to his souls, warning them not to fight over them._

 _"Thank you." The words were forceful and sincere, but Laxus looked away._

 _"Don't want to go through last night's hassle again."_

 _"He means 'you're welcome,'" Freed translated._

 _"Laxus only gets you something to help with magic if he likes you," Evergreen added._

 _"Not true!" shot down the mage in question._

 _"Denial means it's true." The bickering was interrupted by Bickslow's insane laughter as he grinned, tongue sticking out._

 _"You should smile more. It suits you," Evergreen commented. The smile widened._

 _"Thanks, Evergreen."_

 _"Call me Ever." A pause._

 _"Thanks Ever."_

 _*End Flashback*_

The guild was left in silent surprise at this new side of Laxus. Bickslow turned to Evergreen, saying, "Your turn, Fairy Girl." She rolled her eyes at the nickname before drawing the attention to herself.

"I was three and like Bicks, I had joined only recently."

 _*Flashback*_

 _Evergreen had always loved the idea of fairies. It was why she dressed like one and it was the only reason she agreed to join the guild. Even so, she couldn't help but be annoyed by the members. She refused to look at them and the pitying looks. Her parents had allowed her to choose a guild to join but they gave her no choice in getting rid of her._

 _A week passed before she snapped. A random member was infuriating her, so she looked up and glared at them. Two seconds later, a statue stood in front of her. The guildmaster, Makarov, soon descended on her._

 _"Evergreen, you can't go turning people to stone because they annoy you." She glared at him defiantly through closed lids. A boy interrupted them. A quick peek showed long green hair and fancy clothing._

 _"She can't control it. She shouldn't be punished," he defended her. Her close-eyed glare switched to him._

 _"I don't need someone to defend me," she said angrily as Makarov went away._

 _"I'm not defending you. I'm defending my sense of justice. I believe it unfair for you to be punished for something you can't control, so I'm defending that belief by halting it." The boy had to be the wordiest she'd ever met._

 _"I don't need your help. I can defend myself."_

 _"I know that. You do, however, need help with your Stone Eyes."_

 _"I don't need your help. With anything," repeated Evergreen. With that, the boy walked away. Contentedly, she settled down in her chair._

 _Over the next few weeks, one by one the guild members were turned to stone. Each time the master descended on her and each time the boy, Freed she soon learned, defended her. They settled into an uneasy friendship and Evergreen soon found she enjoyed having someone stand up for her. It was when the majority of the guild lined the room as statues that she admitted she needed help. Grudgingly, she approached Freed, who sat with a blonde boy._

 _"I… need help," she gritted out, swallowing her pride. The Rune Mage's eyes lit up, and he glanced at the blonde for a second. At a slight nod, Freed joined her. As they went over to her corner, she asked, "Do you need his permission to do everything?" A blue-green eye looked at her, offended._

 _"No, I wasn't asking permission. Laxus doesn't control me." His firm voice made Evergreen believe him. They sat, and he turned to her._

 _"Go inside yourself and find your magic core," he directed her. Her eyes already closed, the Fairy mage let her mind be drawn to a well of amber-green strands. A distant voice continued speaking._

 _"You can see your Fairy magic, right? Now find your Stone magic." She searched the well of power but found nothing. Slender hands found her shoulders and purple-black magic shown in her mind's eye. It gently drew out a small wisp of near-transparent gray, weaving it into the rest of the green-amber wellspring before retreating. She blinked open her eyes and found herself staring into a blue-green eye, the other covered with hair. She slammed hers shut as she felt her magic surge up. She'd never felt it before._

 _"It was hiding. That's why you couldn't control it." A shifting sound made her open her eyes to see Freed step back._

 _"Why help me?" she asked. "I've not been very nice."_

 _"I know how it is to have eye magic that scared people." Drawing back the clump of hair, that covered his right eye, Freed met hers. The covered eye was a glowing ball of purple-black, like a flame in an empty eye socket. The hair fell back into place and Freed stood up._

 _"Do you want to join us?" he offered. A brief pause, and Evergreen stood too. She followed her new friend over to the blonde boy, sitting on one side while Freed claimed the other._

 _"I'm-"_

 _"Evergreen," interrupted Laxus, as she thought he was called. "Yeah, Freed told me about you." She nodded, noting a quick look between Laxus and Freed. Both stood suddenly._

 _"I have to get something, explained the blonde. The two quickly left, leaving Evergreen alone with her thoughts._

 _About an hour later, a large hand thrust a case at her. She slowly opened it to find a pair of fashionable oval glasses._

 _"I don't need glasses," she said, confused._

 _"They're non-prescription. Freed says your Stone Eyes won't work through lenses." As Laxus spoke, her dark brown eyes shone, and she quickly fitted the glasses on her face. Nervously, she looked at Freed straight in the eye, but felt no push of magic._

 _"Thank you!" she practically shrieked._

 _"Don't wanna risk bein' turned to stone," replied Laxus gruffly with a shrug._

 _"Don't mind him," Freed told her. "He doesn't know how to express himself properly. He means 'you're welcome.'" Suddenly, Evergreen leaped forwards and pulled Laxus into a tight hug, pinning his arms to his sides._

 _"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she repeated over and over again._

 _"Ev… er… an't… breathe," choked out the blonde. His lips were turning blue and he gasped for breath as the girl released him. She didn't mind the nickname, she decided before turning to Freed, who backed away._

 _"No thanks needed, Ever." He looked terrified._

 _For the first time in a very long time, Evergreen threw back her head and laughed, clutching her stomach as she tried to stay upright._

 _*End Flashback*_

The guild was silent, still stunned at the nicer side of Laxus Dreyar. Evergreen turned to Freed.

"Your turn, Greenie." His visible eye glared at her.

"Don't call me that."

"Then talk."

"I don't think..."

" _Talk_ , Freed."

"My story..."

"...is more interesting than ours combined," interrupted Bickslow.

"Fine," sighed the Rune mage. "I was the first to meet Laxus. It was when I was a new member..."

 _*Flashback*_

 _People in Fairy Tail didn't like Freed and they made it clear. The thin boy with the green hair and demon eye was unwanted and he knew it fully. He kept his head down, hiding the eye that glowed with swirling purple-black fire. A nearby conversation caught his attention._

 _"Have you met the freak yet?" someone was asking._

 _"The new one, with the demon eye?"_

 _"I heard he was part of a dark guild."_

 _"Why would Makarov let him join then?"_

 _"Maybe he has demon magic and made Makarov let him join." At that, Freed abruptly stood, not allowing the tears welling in both eyes to show or fall. He practically ran to the guildmaster's office._

 _"Freed. I was just about to call you over."_

 _"I want to leave," announced the green-haired boy._

 _"Why?" asked Makarov, genuinely shocked._

 _"Nobody wants me. No one even likes me." A pause, then,_

 _"Do me one favor, then if you still want to you may leave." Makarov's voice was sad._

 _"Fine." Freed gave his answer grudgingly, but it was something._

 _"Good. I want you to go on a job with Laxus, my grandson. He needs someone to look after him and you need a friend." Freed knew who Laxus was. He'd wanted to meet the blonde for awhile. The Lightning mage had been the one to find him, underfed but not quite malnourished, huddling in fear in a dark guild's basement. They weren't as bad as they could have been. They fed him, clothed him, beat him only when they felt he did something wrong, and didn't keep him chained up. They wanted the green-haired boy for his magic and taught him Yamino Ecriture. Abandoned by his parents, Freed had been an easy target for the guild. The only reason he'd been rescued was a concerned neighbor putting up a request, which Laxus had taken._

 _"Alright," Freed replied hesitantly. "Is he here?"_

 _"Down in the guildhall." The Rune mage left, eyes roaming the crowd for the blonde with a lightning scar. Laxus was easily found at a table in the back corner, and Freed approached him rather nervously. Electric blue-grey eyes snapped up to meet his, clearly focusing on the eye made of purple-black flames._

 _"You're Freed Justine, right? Kid I found on my mission."_

 _"Yes." Those eyes were searching his right one for something. Self-consciously, he closed his demon eye._

 _"Why're you over here?" Laxus made no comment on his eye._

 _"The- the guildmaster asked me to go on a job with you?" He didn't intend it to sound like a question._

 _"Figures the old man can't keep his nose outta my business." The mutter was probably not intended to be heard. "Well, I have one. Clear out some bandits. Can you fly?"_

 _"I can teleport and fly." Finally, something he was sure of._

 _"You able to bring someone else?"_

 _"I've never tried."_

 _"Then try it." Freed focused on Laxus, ignoring the awe and trying to imagine the older boy as a bunch of runes, floating to another place. Nothing._

 _"I can't. I'm sorry."_

 _"Why? Not your fault your magic doesn't work like that."_

 _"It should."_

 _"Could try keepin' a hand on me and uncoverin' that eye of yours."_

 _"My demon eye?" Freed was genuinely surprised. People didn't ask him to uncover it. It unnerved them._

 _"Don't think it's a demon's eye, but yeah."_

 _"That- that's what people call it. The eye of a demon to go with the demon boy." The words came out more bitterly than intended._

 _"You're not a demon." The words were gruff but sincere._

 _"Can we get on with the test?" The conversation was getting uncomfortable, so Freed grabbed one of Laxus' arms, opening his right eye. He again tried to imagine both of them dissolving into runes, but ended up on the other side of the guild hall by himself._

 _"It won't work."_

 _"S'fine. Least you can fly, so come on. We're leavin' right now."_

 _Freed soon found that Laxus could fly much faster than him. As fast as lightning, in fact. The blonde didn't slow down for him, not that he expected it, so Freed used his teleportation in quick bursts, dissolving, reappearing behind Laxus, and falling a short way before getting his wings out. This method worked, but just barely so it was relief to land before a large cave._

 _Almost immediately, bandits began flooding out, shouting. Some had magic, but most simply wielded weapons. Side by side, Laxus and Freed easily held their ground._

 _"Lightning Blast!"_

 _"Yamino Ecriture: Pain!"_

 _"Yamino Ecriture: Fear!"_

 _"Lightning Blast!"_

 _"Yamino Ecriture: Suffering!" The rune went awry as Freed was suddenly hit with another spell, and suddenly the run flew straight at Laxus. Without hesitating, the Rune Mage retracted his spell, knowing full well he would take its effects. He screamed._

 _"Lightning Bla- Freed!" Laxus interrupted his own spell, turning to defend his companion._

 _"Elemental Creation: Fire Halberd!" A giant halberd made of flames came crashing towards the fallen Rune Mage, only to be stopped by a powerful blast of lightning._

 _"Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd!" A massive spearlike weapon composed entirely of crackling electricity blocked the fiery weapon before crashing into the caster._

 _"Lightning Dragon's Roar!"_

 _"Magic Hair Growth!"_

 _"What?!" The spell hit Freed who was slowly getting back up, and his green hair suddenly grew long enough to touch the ground._

 _"Stone Fist!" A fist made of stone emerged from the ground beneath Freed, striking him easily and flinging him upwards._

 _"Yamino Ecriture: Wings!" The now-long-haired mage caught himself midair and swooped behind the Stone mage._

 _"Yamino Ecriture: Vengeance," he murmured calmly, dangerously, into the Stone mage's ear right before they started screaming._

 _"Let's end this now," said Laxus, bored. "Lightning Dragon's Roar!" A massive web of crackling electricity washed over the remaining bandits, leaving them stunned and twitching._

 _"L-laxus! You're a Dragon Slayer?"_

 _"Yeah. That's not important right now. Why the hell did you hit yourself with your own spell?"_

 _"I got jostled. My spell was heading towards you and you're the more powerful of us. It was tactically better for me to be removed from the battle briefly than you."_

 _"That's idiotic. This is Fairy Tail. We're family. We don't sacrifice ourselves base on whether we think the other is stronger." Freed looked down, then growled when his newly lengthened hair fell in his face. He knelt down to pick up a nearby sword, ready to chop it off._

 _"Don't," interrupted Laxus. He found a strip of cloth and tied it near the end of Freed's hair, making a sort of ponytail._

 _"Looks nice like that," muttered the blonde. Freed blushed, turning towards the direction they came._

 _"W-we should go." The return to Magnolia was uneventful until the two sat down and Laxus left to get something, leaving Freed alone at the table in the corner. He got up soon after Laxus left and made his way into Makarov's office._

 _"Are you leaving us, Freed? Or will you stay?"_

 _"I want to stay."_

 _"You seemed quite adamant about leaving. Why do you want to stay now?"_

 _"Because… because without Fairy Tail, without this guild, I have nothing."_

 _"Did my grandson actually make you feel… welcome?" Makarov's eyes were comically wide as he asked this._

 _"Yes. He did." Freed's voice was serious and Makarov began to grin._

 _"I'm glad you'll stay, Freed." Knowing he was dismissed, the Rune mage left the room happily, only to be halted by one of his main tormentors, Cacoa._

 _"Hey, Demon Boy is a girl_!" _he shouted. "It's Demon Girl!"_

 _"I got hit with a hair growth spell. I am not a girl," Freed replied evenly._

 _"Then how about I help hop it all off." Cacoa grinned wickedly, producing a dagger and grabbing a handful of green hair._

 _"Stop," demanded Freed._

 _"You want to be a girl?"_

 _"No. If hair length were an indication of gender, you'd be an 'it'.' Lax-" Freed cut himself off._

 _"Laxus? You have a little crush on Laxus?"_

 _"No! I do not have a crush on Laxus."_

 _"You do realize Laxus doesn't have friends, right? You're not his friend, and he doesn't care a jewel for you. He was forced into a job with you by his grandfather and he pities you. Just because he saved you doesn't mean he cares about you. That was a job. He was paid to save you." Cacoa latched onto his new ammo and waited until he was sure Freed broke to walk away. The green-haired boy walked slowly away, leaving the guildhall quietly._

 _The next day, Freed reluctantly dragged himself to the guildhall and took a seat in the corner, shoving himself into the wall as far as he could, shrinking in on himself, hoping to disappear. He shrunk even more when he heard the door slam open, announcing Laxus' presence. Heavy footsteps came closer and closer, and a hand landed on his shoulder._

 _"Freed."  
"Yes?"_

 _"Why are you trying to join into the table and wall?"_

 _"I felt like it?" Electric blue eyes studied the small form in front of him._

 _"Who talked to you and what did they say?"_

 _"I-I don't know what you're talking about."_

 _"You're a terrible liar."_

 _"They said you don't care about me. You pity me and you're not my friend." Blue eyes darkened dangerously._

 _"Who said it, Freed?"_

 _"Cacoa," whispered the Rune mage. Laxus stormed up to the Sword mage and grabbed him. Freed could see the blonde muttering something and fear washed over Cacoa's face. Laxus returned._

 _"You're not a demon, Freed, no matter what they say. After all, I'd never be friends with a demon."_

 _"Laxus..." said Freed in awe._

 _"I've something for you." Laxus pulled out a sword, a rapier with the guard in the shape of the Fairy Tail symbol. "For you to help aim your rune."_

 _"Thank you."_

 _"Can't have you dropped mid-fight." Freed slid the rapier into his belt and impulsively hugged the blond who, surprisingly, hugged him back._

 _*End Flashback*_

"And that was when I realized I-" Freed cut himself off suddenly.

"Freed loves Laxus," Bickslow shouted, his souls repeating him cheerfully.

"I do not!"

"Anyways, storytime's over, kids," Bickslow announced. Sadly, the guild left, pondering over this new side of the surly Lightning mage. The younger members were curious about this 'Laxus,' the master's long lost grandson who inspired such loyalty in his three followers.

Makarov, listening in with the guild, smiled sadly at his grandson's quiet displays of affection to his friends. The stories reassured him though.

Laxus was coming home.


	12. Home

Home

Cobra had always been the least personable of the seven. It didn't go unquestioned, just like his past, but it was accepted as a general truth of the world by the other young dragon slayers. None of them knew how to get through to him, not even Wendy who was impossible not to love. He was amiable towards the others and had long since lost his apathy towards his newfound siblings, but it was rare to catch him in a moment of true warmth, not even when he was with Gwenwyn and Cubelios. None of the young children knew the details of what had driven their respective honorary siblings to the dragons, but aside from Cobra they had shared the gist of what had happened. As they did with everything, they never gave up trying to wrest the story out of their honorary brother.

"Cobra-nii," called Wendy, brown eyes wide. In the bushes nearby, Gajeel, Natsu, Sting, Rogue, and even Laxus hid, listening to the exchange. Laxus was growing impressively quickly and he was by far the largest of the group, looking inane as he hunched and crouched behind the not-too-tall bush, clearly feeling completely humiliated with his arms crossed and his face set in a scowl.

"No," replied the young Poison Dragon Slayer immediately, voice hard and firm. Wendy shrunk back, along with the people in the bush. _So cold…_ they all though. Cobra turned a purple glare on the bush and said gruffly, "Not only can I hear you, but I can smell you too. Don't be such idiots and at least make an attempt at hiding properly next time." He knew there would be a next time. The young dragon slayers didn't give up anywhere near that easily. There ended the first coordinated attempt.

* * *

"Hey guys," began Natsu cheerfully as the seven lay outside under the sun. "I was thinking-"

"Now that's a feat in itself," taunted Gajeel. Natsu made a severe mistake then and ignored the Iron Dragon Slayer's insult and Cobra instantly knew something was up.

"No. Next time don't be so obvious, Natsu. You always react to everything." As if to prove the ten-year-old's point, Natsu shot up off the ground and started shouting out insults, tiny puffs of fire shooting out of his mouth, fists clenched. Cobra ignored him easily and simply rolled out of the way of Natsu's lightly burning fist as it shot towards his face. Rather than roll back onto the singed and smoking grass, he stood and stretched, heading towards Gwenwyn's lair. There ended the second attempt.

* * *

The seven Dragon Slayers were spending more and more nights together in their little makeshift hut. They lay in bed, still wide awake, talking quietly amongst each other.

"Oi, Cobra," began Gajeel casually, "you never told us how you met Gwenwyn, did you?"

"No, I didn't." Cobra's voice was mild as he replied, saying nothing else and apparently falling asleep. They others slumped in their beds, disappointed by Gajeel's failed attempt.

"Oh, and Gajeel?" The slayer in question jumped, having assumed the younger boy had fallen asleep.

"Yeah?"

"Trying to catch me off guard is a stupid tactic." With that, light snores said that Cobra actually had fallen asleep, leaving Gajeel to rant and steam to no one. There ended the third attempt.

* * *

"Natsu, where did you come from?" asked Sting curiously as the dragon slayers trained beneath the hot sun.

"I don't remember," replied the pink haired boy thoughtfully. "There was a forest nearby, though."

"So you can't really miss it, can you?"

"Not really. Why would I, anyway? I have this place now!" Natsu grinned cheerfully and sent a small jet of flame into the air.

"How about you, Laxus? You always talk about the guild but you never told us about where it was."

"A town called Magnolia. The guild hall is situated near a river that flows through the city. Never seen it without at least one boat floatin' down it," replied Laxus in his gradually roughening voice. He sent a lightning powered punch through a nearby tree, fist stopping as it reached the bark. A few seconds later, the tree blackened and a few of its leaves crumbled to ashes. The fourteen-year-old grumbled to himself.

"So you miss it?" Sting had completely stopped training and settled himself against a tree.

"Nah, not the town. The guild was home, not Magnolia itself."

"My town was in the mountains," Gajeel threw in without Sting asking. "I remember there bein' an iron mine at the edge of it. I hated it there- was no where near as nice as this place. There was always dark fog and there was too much stone." The eleven-year-old managed to get iron to creep over his little finger.

"What about you, Sting-nii-chan?" Wendy asked curiously. Little puffs of air playfully blew her hair around. "You and Rogue-nii-chan grew up together, right?"

"Mmm. Sting and I have known each other since we were born." Rogue's voice was soft as he attempted to turn into shadow, apparently not realizing that it would be difficult to do so directly under the sun's light.

"It was terrible there," Sting added flatly, toying with some grass at his side. "The people were boring, our families were terrible, and it was always cloudy." He looked up at Rogue through his lashes. "Rogue made it alright, though." A small smile made its way across the Shadow Dragon Slayer's face as he looked down.

"How 'bout you, Wendy?" asked Natsu before sucking in a deep breath.

"I remember that my parents were always smiling at me, but they always seemed kind of sad. I think we might have been in a lot of danger though. There was always clanging and screaming." Wendy shuddered slightly at the memory before the playful wind soothed her as it brushed over her skin. She looked at Cobra, who had his eyes closed and was clearly practicing his hearing.

"How about you, Cobra?" It was Sting who asked, also looking at his elder honorary brother.

"It was a shithole," replied the boy harshly. A few seconds later, Gwenwyn's shadow fell over the group.

'What have I told you about that kind of language, my _neidr_?' rasped the Poison Dragon's thoughts, clearly heard by all seven children.

"It was," protested Cobra petulantly.

'It is simple, little _neidr_. Do not swear, or do you wish to incur my wrath upon you?' The sinuous dragon swept downwards to coil in the grass, her head at the same level as Cobra's.

"Yes, mother," mumbled Cobra, looking down. The dragon turned and slithered away too quickly to really be seen, barely even parting the grass.

"What was wrong with it, Cobra-nii?" asked Wendy, head tilted slightly.

"Nothing." With that, Cobra turned away from his honorary siblings and promptly shut down. There ended the closest attempt.

* * *

Laxus' was actually the worst attempt, involving quite a bit of swearing, mass amounts of lightning, a newly electrified pool, several poisoned trees, a furious Poison Dragon Slayer, and a sick Lightning Dragon Slayer. All seven of them swore to never even think of it again.

* * *

"Sting, do you remember our street?" asked Rogue a bit nostalgically. He and his best and oldest friend sat side by side in the small forest clearing the seven children used for campfires. It was another clear night, the nearly black sky lit up brightly with vast swirls of stars. A large fire burned merrily in front of them, lit by a proud Natsu Dragneel. Sting leaned against a log while Rogue rested his head in the blonde's lap, looking up with bright red eyes.

"How could I not? That was where we spent all our time together," Sting said quietly.

"Yeah… Do you think that tree is still there?"

"The one with all those white flowers and the droopy branches we used to hide under?" Rogue nodded slightly.

"Hmm… I don't know. Our parents might have cut it down when we left." They lapsed into a comfortable silence and Sting began to subconsciously twist Rogue's swiftly lengthening hair between his fingers. The latter opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the arrival of the other young slayers carrying firewood, kindling, and food.

"What were you talking about?" asked Wendy as she set her small armful of dry leaves and twigs on the ground, far from the fire.

"Home," replied Rogue.

"I thought you hated it there," Natsu said confusedly, dumping a few more logs into the fire.

"We did. But there were a few nice memories too." Rogue was speaking more than usual, his voice wistful.

"Like what?" Surprisingly, it was Cobra who spoke, setting up cooking supplies over the fire. Rogue and Sting didn't like to talk about their past, but the others knew about the their terrible upbringing. It seemed like that would ruin all the memories there.

"Sting and I lived right next to each other. There was this tree, right in the middle of our houses that always bloomed white flowers in the middle of summer. The branches touched the ground in some places, and we used to hide or just talk in there. Our parents never found out where we went when they couldn't find us."

"And the lady across from us had those berries she let us pick," Sting added, smiling slightly.

"And that garden, with all those bright flowers that smelled really nice," Rogue threw in.

"That sounds nice," sighed Wendy dreamily. "My house was kind of small, but I always seemed so big to me. I used to explore it every day and hide in the cabinet until my parents found me."

"Cubelios," whispered Cobra softly. The other six turned to look at him curiously. "Cubelios was the best part of my village. She always protected me, even when it was just my parents fighting." He looked at the others with distant purple eyes. "That's why they died. They were fighting and I was crying, then they slammed my door open. She was just trying to protect me, they all were, but they went too far. They killed them."

"Who?" Wendy asked quietly, brown eyes wide.

"The snakes. They killed my parents and then everyone hated me. There was a field the snakes always liked to be in, and I was in there. A boy, he was throwing rocks at me and they tried to protect me again. The villagers all set the field on fire and I ran, straight off a cliff and into the ocean. Then Mother was there. She saved me, and she helped me get revenge on every last one of them." Cobra's voice held a sick sort of satisfaction as he talked about it.

"Is that where you went when you left for a week?" asked Laxus. Cobra nodded.

"It's gone now. The village, I mean. I let the snakes do what they wanted to the villagers. They got revenge for getting burnt in that field. Mother kept them in the village and I burned it like they burned me. I'm sure some survived, but they'll never have a home there again."

"Cobra," whispered Rogue, trailing off with nothing else to say.

"That's what you wanted, isn't it? To hear what happened to me? Well there it is." Cobra's voice was rough and he looked away, shaking slightly.

"My mother hit me with her hand and my father hit me with iron," Gajeel said quietly, looking down at his hands. "They never wanted me, a child who was just a drain on money. I was weak, I couldn't work, and I had to be taken care of. When I could walk and talk my mother told me to leave, so I left. Met my old man there, in the mountains." The others had never known about his parents.

"Mine are…" began Wendy, voice shaking, "Mine are dead." Tears formed in her eyes as she gripped her dress tightly. "We left the village because it wasn't safe and there were monsters. They tried to protect me, and my mother told me to run so I did but they were killed by the monsters while I ran away like a coward." Tears streamed down her face. A warm hand rested on her shoulder and she looked up in time to be embraced tightly by Natsu.

"I don't even know why mine left. I remember my father didn't like me and my mother was sad and one day she took me into the forest and left me there. I didn't understand why." Natsu's voice was hard as he spoke.

"Sting's parents didn't want a child. They were poor so they took it out on Sting. They used to call him Boy and pretend he didn't exist until they needed a punching bag," Rogue said suddenly, speaking for his partner. The blonde didn't look capable of telling the story. "My father was a sorry, drunken bastard who my mother had the good sense to leave. She didn't take me with her though and I hate her for that. He didn't like that I was weak, or that I had magic."

"My grandfather was practically my father," began Laxus, oddly open. "He kicked my actual father out of Fairy Tail and said he deserved it. I accused him of planning on kicking me out too if I ever got too much like my father and left before he could. The old geezer was right, though. My father was power-hungry and had no patience for the weak. He implanted a Lightning Dragon lacrima inside of me when I was three because he thought I was too weak." The others stared in horror at the blonde. He was by far the strongest out of all of them and had been ever since the beginning. None of them could imagine the pain he must have felt from the lacrima.

"You're not the only one who was broken in the past," Natsu said seriously in one of his rare moments of wisdom and calm.

"I-I know," whispered Cobra. "You didn't go as far as me, though. You didn't get your parents killed or burn your homes down."

"I ran, Cobra-nii. I left my parents to die." Wendy's voice cut in with uncharacteristic guilt. She was never one for self-blame unless she truly was to blame.

"What? No!" the maroon haired boy denied it frantically. "You were only three. You couldn't have done anything at that age."

"Neither could you," Laxus reminded him gently. His hard face softened as he looked at his honorary siblings in various states of distress. "None of us could have. We were all too young to do anything. We still are, but we can change that now. We're stronger and one day we'll surpass those who hurt us." The rest looked at him with vague surprise, but they were quickly returning to more or less cheerful states.

"I-," began Cobra, looking oddly emotional. "Thank you. I promise, I won't hide anything from you ever again." With that, all of them, even Laxus, piled together in a group hug, Cobra at the center. He did nothing to shove them off, simply returning it to as many as he could wrap his arms around, a small smile on his face. He had been stupid to keep his past from them. He should have known they'd not give up in their attempts to find out and he should have known they accept him, and his past, easily. After all, they were family.


	13. Promise

Promise

They had sworn to meet every year. Every year, on July 7, they would make the long, trying journey to Draconia through any means possible. Exceed, snake, vehicle, or magic, they would meet at the last place they had seen their draconic parents. In the year 778, Laxus and Natsu made their excuses to Fairy Tail and left, together, two weeks before July 7. Sting and Rogue made their excuses to Sabertooth, Gajeel to Phantom Lord, and Cobra to Brain. Wendy, though she was traveling with Mystogan, took brief leave from her companion so she, too, could meet with her fellow Dragon Slayers.

They met at Draconia, in the area where they had once lived, and they talked. They told each other about accomplishments, particularly funny stories from their guilds, and what they'd been up to in general. Then they'd reminisce about the old days, the ones with storms and sunshine and wind and fire, the ones with the comforting protection of their draconic parents. They'd remember laughing, playing, arguing, fighting, and training. They'd mourn for the loss of those carefree days. Then they'd sleep under the stars, curled up next to each other, having the occasional brief, whispered conversation until they fell asleep.

They'd stay for half of the next day, saying their goodbyes and adding in anything that they hadn't the previous day, and then they'd leave each other. They go back to their guilds, and they'd wait for the next year when they'd see each other again. They were all Dragon Slayers, but they were also family. They gave their loyalty to their guilds, if they had one, but if it came down to it, their loyalty was to each other before anything and anyone else.

Three years later, Gajeel was missing from their conference. The gruff Iron Dragon Slayer had been withdrawing from the others, and he finally decided not to make the long journey. The others missed him, but they carried on, talking, laughing, joking, and enjoying each other's presence.

The next year, Cobra was gone along with Gajeel. He had never been quite as close to the others, but he was still family.

The year after that, Laxus refused to make the journey with Natsu, not giving a reason but stubbornly refusing.

Sting and Rogue were the next to to disappear, and it was only Natsu and Wendy. The two talked, and laughed, and caught each other up on what they'd been doing, but it was dull, lifeless, and not as happy or carefree as it once had been. The slept beneath the stars, talking softly and slowly in tired murmurs, Natsu's arm curled protectively around the small girl. They missed the others, wished that they were there, wished that everything wasn't falling apart, wished that it didn't feel like their family was leaving, just like their dragon's had.

The final year, 784, only Natsu made the journey. He arrived at the haven with Happy and sat there, waiting endlessly for anyone else to arrive.

No one did.

Where Draconia had once been warm and sunny and sometimes stormy, but always bright and full of life, it now looked dull and lifeless, abandoned. For the first time since Igneel's disappearance, Natsu allowed himself to break down and sob. Sob and wail and cry for the others. For Igneel, the other dragons, the other Dragon Slayers, his family. He sat in a huddled, shaking, sobbing ball of misery and mourned for his loss.

Looking up briefly, he could almost see Igneel, lounging in his favorite clearing, half shaded, half basking beneath the bright sun, great head resting on his front legs as he argued and fought playfully with Grandeeney who hovered before him in a her bright ball of light. And there were Weisslogia and Skiadrum, lounging with one in the sun and the other in the shadows, chatting amiably as they watched the others with half-narrowed eyes. There was Gwenwyn, lounging beneath the sun in deep, warm, swaying grass, slender head raised towards the warmth. He could see Astrapi soaring through the air, simply hovering among the clouds, as was her favorite place to rest. And there was Metalicana, hiding from the hot sun because it warmed his metal armor to almost painful levels, glowing eyes narrowed as he grumbled to himself.

He could see Wendy climbing trees, trying to get to the top where the wind and air could support her and take her in a soft, chilly embrace. He could see Gajeel, hiding with Metalicana as he munched on random pieces of scrap metal he had found. There was Cobra, leaning against Gwenwyn as he spoke with Cubelios who he would never hear answer back. He could see Sting and Rogue as they sat side by side in silence, while Frosch and Lector spoke quietly. He could practically feel Igneel's wing draping over him, providing both shade and warmth.

Rain broke him out of his perfect memory scene. A tiny, cold drop landed on his shoulder and the perfect illusion disappeared. Natsu was left alone and abandoned on an equally abandoned island.

"Why?" he whispered sadly. "We promised… we promised each other and we promised ourselves and we silently promised our dragons, so why? Why did they leave?" The Fire Dragon Slayer walked over to Igneel's favorite clearing, looking at the worn bark of the surrounding trees, littered with slight burn marks because Igneel exhaled little plumes of fire when he slept; not enough to start a forest fire, but enough to singe.

He sat where Igneel's wing would be draped over him, huddling into a small ball, head buried in his knees, arms wrapped around his legs. Rain gently drizzled down on him, dampening his hair and clothes. He inhaled deeply, desperately hoping to catch even the slightest bit of Igneel's scent, but all he could smell was rain and damp wood and wet dirt and damp grass. He began to cry again, furious at himself for being so weak, but unable to muster up enough effort to really care. Sobs wracked his frame which, at this point, looked rather small and vulnerable. A twig cracking made him shoot up, forcing himself to stop crying but only managing to lessen it to hitching gasps.

"Who's there?!" he demanded, but his voice was shaky and choked, sounding weak even to his own ears.

"Hey." Laxus stepped into view, fur coat hanging on his shoulders, sleeves dangling freely.

"Laxus?!" asked Natsu in surprise. "You were one of the first to leave. You refused to come with me."

"M'sorry," mumbled the Lightning Dragon Slayer.

"Did… Did you just apologize?!" Natsu was becoming more and more surprised, helping him to forget his former sorrow however briefly.

"Yeah. And don't you make a fuss about it!" Natsu half-laughed, half-sobbed, creating a strangled choking sound.

"Why are you here though? You haven't come to the meetings in years."

"Happy. He was worried about you 'cause you always got sad and depressed around this time. He begged me to go to the meeting place again. Finally I told him I would, but I wouldn't travel with you. I wanted to surprise you. I sent word to the others that we should go to this one. Promised we all show up this time. The others should be here soon enough."

"Why did you stop? Why did all of you stop coming? We promised, we swore, to ourselves to each other, and to our dragons that we'd meet here, every year, on the day of their disappearance."

"It got too painful. Coming here, reminiscing, being in the place where all those painful memories took place… seeing each other again but then leaving so soon after we reconciled… it got too painful. It got harder and harder to part ways after every meeting so we decided to spare ourselves the pain. After Gajeel left, we all got kind of scared that the next meeting would be the one where nobody came. Losing people, year after year, we all eventually were scared to go because we didn't want to be the only ones there," explained Laxus.

"But that's what makes the meetings so important!" shouted Natsu. "Meeting here, seeing each other, reconnecting, reminiscing. It keeps us grounded, it keeps us in the present but it also helps us to never forget the past, to never forget our bonds! It's painful, but at the same time it heals us! Those painful memories… we're the only ones we can talk about it with, because we were there, because we understand. And every time we remember them, look back at them, laugh and talk about them, we move on just a little bit more! It's the memories and the pain that keep us strong!" Laxus held up a calming hand. It was strange to see the usually-cold Lightning Dragon Slayer so… soft and caring and almost gentle.

"We forgot that, Natsu-nii-chan." This time, it wasn't Laxus' rough tones, but Wendy's soft, timid voice. "We all got so scared and hurt that we didn't want to suffer it." She sounded rather ashamed.

"Then why didn't you say anything?! That was the point of the meetings, to talk and release our pent-up feelings and move on!"

"Because even though the talks were painful and nostalgic, they also brought a painful kind of happiness and peace. No one wanted to ruin that by bringing up the insecurities. S'why I left after Gajeel- I could hear everyone's thoughts and fears and I was worried that they'd not show up the next meeting." Cobra spoke this time and he, too, sounded ashamed.

"Oh…" said Natsu softly. He hadn't realized his family had become so jaded and broken. He knew that he was; it was why he went to the meeting with the fierce hope that everyone would finally be there. He didn't want to lose his closest family so he showed up and hoped he'd be able to glue the pieces back together.

"I suppose it's partially my fault, eh Natsu? I was the first to leave. I was scared. Phantom Lord… it ain't the best guild in the world. S'not like Fairy Tail- the way you and Laxus describe it, at least. It's cold and distant and all about power and not about friends. It… went to my head, I guess. I started to believe it. I ended up thinking that you guys were makin' me weaker, 'cause it hurt to talk to you and leave you. M'sorry." Gajeel's gruff voice was full of shame as he looked down slightly.

"I'm sorry too, Natsu-nii." Sting spoke this time. "I convinced Rogue not to go the next meeting. Sabertooth is like Phantom Lord. All about power and not about friends."

"Fro thinks so too."

"It's not Sting-kun's fault! Sting-kun was scared, and it's natural to run away when you're scared!" Lector spoke up this time, quick to defend the person he looked up to.

"Fro thinks so too!"

"I allowed Sting to convince me. When Gajeel stopped showing up, I was already tempted to stay behind simply because he was gone. Sting choosing not to go simply made my decision clear." Surprisingly, Rogue threw in his two cents. Natsu watched the exchange silently, his face unreadable.

"You're all my family… my nakama. My brothers and my sister, though maybe not in blood. You betrayed all of us though. We promised each other and ourselves and our dragons that we would meet her, in Draconia, in this place where we grew up, every year on July 7 to remember our dragons and our past and hope that maybe they'd come back. We all betrayed each other because we were scared." Natsu's words rang true, making the others feel incredibly guilty. "But you're still all my family, and family forgives each other. Of course I forgive you guys! Just promise not to skip out on the meetings, 'k?" Finally, Natsu gave the other Dragon Slayers his trademark infectious grin, one that it was impossible not to smile back at. Wendy ran up to him first, hugging him tightly as she tried not to sob.

"Natsu-nii-chan! I'm sorry!" she wailed. "Last year we promised we'd be here but I was afraid you'd forget!" Natsu wrapped his arms around the little Dragon Slayer.

"Don't worry, Wendy! I was worried too! But no more tears! We're supposed to be remembering happy times!" The others nodded and, however reluctantly, joined the hug.

That year's meeting was the most memorable. They laughed and talked and joked and remembered, and they were closer than ever. They played and fought and argued, and they returned to their favorite places in the haven. It was July 8, not July 7, but it didn't matter because they were there, together, and they had finally reconciled. The slept curled beneath the stars, talking in soft voices about more serious matters, insecurities, problems in their guilds, problems with other people, and fears, and they weren't scared to talk about that anymore.

The next morning they were sad to leave each other, but they grinned and laughed and hugged and fought and argued one last time before they had to leave each other. They parted sadly, but looked forwards to the next year, when they would all meet again. They were siblings. They fought like siblings and argued like siblings, but they also loved each other like family. They were different, their magics were different, they came from different roots, and they carried different demons, but they were family, through and through. Their loyalty was to each other before anyone or anything else, and that would never change.


	14. Mates

The Talk

It was the day after Laxus' fourteenth birthday, yet another day spent with his honorary siblings. They really didn't spend much time away from each other, he realized as he listened to Natsu and Gajeel argue. He wasn't completely sure what had caused it, but it was probably something inconsequential. Natsu was easily 'fired up' after all. He was the oldest in the group by three years, but he was as volatile as his third-youngest brother, something that probably should have bothered him but didn't. It made him feel closer to his honorary siblings, not acting or even feeling any older than them. If anything, Wendy was the most level-headed, and she had her moments of childishness.

The seven looked up as the smell of ozone caught their attention, signally Astrapi's approach. Sure enough, the Lightning Dragon seemed to appear out of nowhere, the only visible sign of her approach a faint trail of lightning. Her jagged yet sinuous body twisted to face Laxus.

"I need to speak with you, my spark. Come with me." Confused, the Lightning Dragon Slayer rose and trailed after his mother. The other six did too, but Astrapi told them, "This is not yet for your ears." The sat back down with no small amount of disappointment. It was rare for the dragons to tell only one of them something.

Somehow, the dragon didn't notice the six distinct scents that followed closely behind. He felt an oddly strong breeze and realized that Wendy was probably directing the wind to send their scent away from the dragon's sensitive nose. Even so, she really should have heard them, despite their surprisingly soft steps. He internally shrugged and made no comment on them following him. After finally getting Cobra to open up, they had sworn not to keep secrets and Laxus wasn't about to break that oath.

If he were being honest with himself, he would admit that having them within hearing range was comforting to him. He ignored that thought and continued following his foster mother to their cave.

Astrapi preferred to be high up, even more than Wendy and Grandeeney did, so she could be a part of the summer storms that graced Draconia. Her actual lair was high in the mountains, really only accessible to dragons and Laxus when he traveled as lightning. For the sake of her human son, the Lightning Dragon had started staying closer to the ground. Even so, getting to her and Laxus' cave required a bit of climbing.

Dragon and human entered, while the other six humans positioned themselves carefully just outside of the mouth of the cave. Astrapi settled herself comfortably in the soft grass that lines her lair while her foster son sat in front of her, leaning back against a wall.

"Before we begin, just know that I dislike this conversation as much as you, my spark," she warned. Laxus nodded with no small amount of confusion and a growing feeling of dread about what this talk was about.

"You are fourteen and fast approaching the human equivalent of draconic puberty. First, I should explain about you and your siblings' magic. Every human is born with the potential to learn and use magic. Some are born with more potential than others, and those are most often the humans who become what you call 'mages.' Within those mages is a natural propensity towards a certain type of magic, whether it be a specific type of element or a specific type of make-magic. While mages can learn other types, the magic they have a natural affinity for is the kind they use most often. The magic that lies closest to their core is often reflected in their looks and personalities. You've told me about your friends at you guild, so I will use them as an example. They are rare for human mages. Each of them use an eye magic and a different type of magic. Eye magics are the most common manifestation of a secondary affinity, and they are also by far the most difficult to control.

"You and your siblings, however, are even more unique. You'll notice even when the seven of you first came here, before you even started learning Dragon Slayer magic, you already held certain draconic properties. Your teeth, for example, were not blunt like a human's, but fanged like a dragon's. Ryos and Sting came with slit-pupiled eyes, Gajeel with a very draconic red. You've probably not noticed, but as you've grown more proficient in your Dragon Slayer magics, your teeth have sharpened even more, your personalities adapting to your magic. Natsu is the clearest example of this- fiery, passionate, explosive, and protective. His physical properties have also changed quite a bit- his body heat has increased to levels that would normally mean death for a human, and his sense of smell and his hearing are especially heightened.

"On top of these physiological changes are… hormonal and instinctual changes." Laxus groaned and rolled his eyes at the turn in the conversation. His mother's insights on human magic and the way it affected a mage mentally and physically were fascinating; what he knew was coming, not so much.

"Do not whine, my spark. You knew where this conversation was going the moment I asked to speak with you. As I was saying. Dragon magic is not meant for humans to contain. It is… wild, explosive, and deadly. As such, Dragon Slayers must adapt more than normal to contain such magic. They become, in a sense, part dragon. We are a territorial species and fiercely protective of anything or anyone we consider 'ours.' This makes relationships between dragons rather rare, for there are few who can share their territory with another. As a result, fewer eggs are hatched and slowly the draconic population began to dwindle. With this decline came new instincts. Mating instincts. To save our race, we evolved to, at the human equivalent of approximately eighteen years, have a period of time where we are driven to search for our mate. Generally someone you've met before who would mesh well with you and your personality. As the dragon population began to grow again, the instinct stopped being for the purpose of reproduction and began to be for companionship.

"In other words, dragons do not frown on mates of the same gender. Skiadrum and Weisslogia, as you probably know, are mates. I have, however, met many mated dragons who choose to willingly not enter a relationship and allow the other to search for a romantic partner. I, myself, have not yet come across a dragon who is suitable for me. Weiss and Skia are the only ones out of the seven of us who have.

"I am sorry to say, my spark, that that is another change your magic has given you. Mates." Laxus groaned in embarrassment and horror. Of course that was the instinct Dragon Slayers got. It couldn't be a natural battle instinct, or a hunting one, or even just one to know when they're in danger. It had to be mates. Thankfully, his foster mother gave him a bit to allow that to sink in. Mates. Fucking mates. Unbidden, an image of hip-length light green hair in a low ponytail and a fiercely determined blue-green eye came to his mind. He mentally shook the image of Freed away, with a pang of longing for his best friend.

"Alright. I'm assuming there's more?" he questioned wearily. His ears pricked as he picked up Wendy whispering to someone. Astrapi nodded her head, her electric yellow eyes flickering to the mouth of the cave. She sighed.

"I know that you've followed your brother," she said calmly. Laxus glared at his honorary siblings as they sheepishly entered the cave.

"Sorry, Laxus-nii-sama. What are mates?" asked Wendy innocently. "I know Astrapi-sama explained, but I don't understand it." Her honorary brothers, aside from Sting and Ryos, looked in different directions, none of them willing to explain it to their baby sister. Somehow, even Natsu seemed to know what Astrapi meant by 'mates.'

"Someone who you will spend the rest of your life with. Someone who fills in the gaps in your life and makes you whole," replied the Lightning Dragon calmly. "Back to the current issue. Your foster parents wanted to wait until you were of similar age to my spark. I, however, wished for all of you to know. While I do not approve of you following when you were not supposed to, I would rather you all know at once rather than at different times. As it is, I'm sure that my spark would speak with you of this matter the moment he finds you again, so I will allow you to stay." The six other Dragon Slayers sat happily near Laxus.

"Now. You were right, my spark. There is more that I must tell you. A dragon has fierce protective and possessive instincts which, more often than not, greatly overlap. As such, in the beginning stages of mating, it is… difficult to have others be around your mate, and for some this never changes. Another aspect that very rarely disappears is the inability to be away from your mate for extended periods of time without severe discomfort and even pain for the separated pair. Some can stay away for up to a month while others can barely stay away for a few hours. I believe it depends on how close the mated pair are. I have not seen Weiss and Skia apart from each other since they were mated, and they are quite close. I have met others who remained distant friends who went their separate ways for a year before being forced to return. The long the time spent apart and the greater the distance, the more you are affected by it."

"How'll we know who our mate is?" asked Natsu curiously.

"You will know. You will know by their scent and their voice, the feeling of their presence and their magic if they use it. It will be made very clear who it is." Again, Laxus mind flashed back to Freed. The Rune mage, he recalled, had smelt of books and damp grass, with a hint of ink. His scent had changed when he used his runes, mixing in sour darkness and the slightest hint of ozone. Again, he shook the image from his mind.

"Anything else?" he asked, trying to distract himself.

"Yes. It pains me to say this, but one day you will leave. You are humans. You require more human presence than just yourselves. I know that you promised your friends to return, Laxus, and one day you must. I do not know if you will go separate ways or if you will remain together, but if there are several of you in one place, one person's mating instinct is likely to drag out that of the others." Astrapi fell silent as the humans thought about this new information. When the Lightning Dragon said no more, the young slayers stood to leave. Her voice stopped them.

"And one more thing. If you are close enough, and I believe you will be, you will have a certain level of synchronicity with your mate. As Dragon Slayers, you will live longer than any normal human, and they will live as long as you. To lose your mate, I hear, is the greatest pain known to any creature on this earth. You will likely not survive the mourning process and if you do, you will not be the same. If you achieve a particular level of closeness, there is a high chance that you will form a mental and emotional link through which you can speak and send emotions. Even without it, both of you will automatically know when the other is in danger. I would suggest staying away from others if your mate is ever taken from you. It is unlikely they will survive the proceeding rampage. Your magic will be more powerful than ever and more out of control than ever. Anything or anyone that stands in your path will be annihilated." On that cheerful note, the dragon curled in one herself and closed her eyes, a clear sign that the young slayers should leave.

"Mates, huh?" muttered Laxus as they left. Mismatched eyes, one purple-black fire and one defiant blue-green, filled his vision and he smiled slightly.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm not very happy with this chapter, to be honest. I feel as though it seems forced and doesn't quite flow well. However, it's being kept because the point of it is to explain my idea of both how magic in Fairy Tail works (explanations seem kind of convluted in the anime and they never outright explain about mages using multiple types of magic, nor the way it seems to impact their looks) and the (admittedly overused) idea of Dragon Slayers having mates. As I put in the summary, this fic will have multiple pairings. I'll probably write how each Dragon Slayer gets together with their mate, and I will try to vary how it happens. I am open to suggestions on how to improve the story and also ideas for what other chapters should be about. I make no promises on whether I will write out the suggestions, but I will try my best to make them happen. Thanks for reading this and, as always, please review!**


	15. The Rajinshuu

The Rajinshuu

The seven dragon slayers wake up soaked and shivering, still laying on the ground from the night before. They have a newfound closeness and even though all of them get sick, they couldn't be happier. Laxus especially seems a bit happier, a bit lighter.

None of them are fit to train, with red, runny noses, fevers, and constant sneezing followed by a surge of their power. Natsu has an especially high fever that the others put down to his fire magic. With each sneeze, a rush of powerful wind, fire, lightning, white light, shadow, poison, or metal shards emerges from each of the respective slayers- they're put in Igneel's cave in the hopes that the constant warmth the place is infused with will hurry their recovery. The young children sleep for over half the day and when they wake up at noon, they're bored out of their minds but barely able to get up the will to move.

"Laxus-nii-sama?" Wendy asks, breaking the silence with a nasally voice. She sneezes, sending a gust of wind towards Natsu. He closes his eyes and embraces the coolness, making a disappointed sound when it disperses.

"Yeah?" replies Laxus, opening one blue-grey eye.

"You told us about your friends, back in Fairy Tail last night, but you didn't tell us how you met them." Wendy interrupts herself twice with sneezes, but gets the sentence out clearly.

"I guess there's not much else to do." Laxus slides up the cave wall a bit more and opens both eyes.

"I met Freed first, and then he dragged the other two into it."

 _*Flashback*_

 _Laxus was bored. There were no interesting runs and his grandfather refused to let him do an S-class one, claiming it was too hard for the seven-year-old. Laxus secretly agrees, but protests verbally, Ivan backing him up, until Makarov is too tired of arguing to argue some more when Laxus holds up an S-class request._

" _Hey, Gramps, I'm taking this job." He hasn't actually taken the chance to look through it, only seeing a reasonable amount of jewel and a mention of fighting. His grandfather simply waves a hand in reluctant acceptance. The boy grins to himself and really takes a look at the flyer. Apparently someones neighbor has been taken by a dark guild and they want someone to rescue them, apparently a three-year-old boy with magic._

 _Laxus suddenly regrets taking it, but refuses to back down out of fear. He confidently goes to where the neighbor, a man named Yuri, lives to ask after the guild. He only gets a name- Death's Skull, but it shouldn't be too hard to track them down, or so he thinks._

 _It takes two days for Laxus to hear anything about the guild, and even then he has to wrest it out of the man who tells him. Finally he heads to a forest near the town and easily comes across the guildhall. It's a worn building made of cracked dark wood, covered in cobwebs and on its way to falling down. Laxus considers simply causing the building to collapse, but then decides that there would be too much risk of killing the captive boy inside._

 _He marches up to the door and slams it open in his usual style. The entire guild looks over at him and start to laugh._

" _Oi, Grimm, there's a lost little kiddie," shouts one man. The rest of the guild erupts into laughter. Lightning flashes behind Laxus, and they abruptly still._

" _You won't be callin' me a kid after I rip you all apart," growls out the boy, surprisingly intimidating for all that he's quite a bit shorter than everyone inside. Lightning flashes again and chaos ensues._

 _Laxus struggles with the fight. He's astonishingly powerful for a six-year-old, but he's going against a full guild of matured mages. Thankfully, Death's Skull does not consist of the most powerful people in the world and Laxus manages to win, but just barely._

 _Taking a bit to recover, he leans against the wall only to hear soft footsteps. His head snaps up as he stands, weary but ready to fight some more. He lowers his fists when he takes a look at the person who stands before him._

 _They're a young boy, probably about three, with short, light green hair. The boy is borderline too thin with fragile-looking limbs, and he wears the worn and dirty remnants of clothes, emphasizing how small he is. He's hurt. Bruises mark the boy's face and arms where the clothes don't cover him, and he holds himself in a way that suggests injured ribs. What really attracts Laxus' attention is the boy's eyes. One is composed of swirling purple-black fire that takes over his whites, irises, and pupils. It's not that one that catches the young Lightning Dragon Slayer's attention. The other is a lovely blue-green, wide and fearful but at the same time fierce and defiant, and Laxus can't stop looking at it. He's never met someone so full of fire as the boy who stands in front of him._

" _I'm Laxus. I was sent by Yuri to rescue you," Laxus says calmly, keeping his voice kind and his posture relaxed._

" _F-Freed," stutters the boy. "I'm Freed Justine." The seven-year-old can't keep himself from smiling at the green-haired boy in front of him._

" _Do you know why they took you, Freed?" It seems like a stupid question to ask. Who can fathom the minds of dark guilds? Certainly not their captive, but Freed answers easily._

" _My magic. I-I have letter magic they wanted me to use. They taught me Yamino Ecriture." Freed's eyes are wide and just a bit haunted as he says the name._

" _Do you have anywhere to go?" Laxus feels a bit guilty for being happy that the answer is no when Freed shakes his head._

" _My- my parents left when I was younger." The blonde hopes that the rage that engulfs him isn't showing on his face._

" _You can come with me." Laxus isn't sure where the offer comes from, but the look of joy on Freed's face explains it all._

" _R-really? You'll let me join you? Even though- even though I'm part of a dark guild?" Laxus tilts his head, confused._

" _You're not part of a dark guild. You're their captive." Wordlessly, Freed lifts his left hand, revealing the melded shadows of a scythe behind, or in front, of a grinning skull in black._

" _That doesn't mean you're part of their guild. You can be a Fairy Tail mage, now," Laxus says earnestly._

" _What-what's Fairy Tail?" Freed asks curiously, lowering his hand again. It's now clear that he has a slight stutter, though the blonde is unsure of whether it's natural or brought on by fear._

" _S'my guild. They'd be happy to have you, I'm sure." Laxus hides the small bit of doubt he holds about that. The guild, while open and friendly, does not always take kindly to people they know were associated with a dark guild or an enemy of the guild. Freed doesn't notice as his normal eye lights up. His face is animated and excited as he flings his arms around Laxus in a tight hug._

" _Thank you!" he says over and over and over again, and Laxus can do nothing but return the hug warmly, being gentle with the other boy's seemingly fragile form. Freed gasps and winces slightly, pulling back and hugging at his ribs. Laxus was right- they're at least bruised._

" _C'mon, let's get you away from here." Freed happily follows after the young Dragon Slayer as they go to inform the Magic Council of the defeated guild, stop by Yuri's house, and finally leave for Magnolia._

 _Laxus stoically hides his motion sickness during the train ride, but Freed is perceptive and notices._

" _A-are you alright?" asks the green-haired boy. Laxus groans and shakes his head in reply, not trusting himself not to throw up._

" _I-I could put you to sleep," he offers. Laxus nods slightly. Dark purple-black runes float over him and he immediately drifts to sleep._

 _Freed wakes Laxus up when the train stops and they eagerly exit the vehicle. The Rune mage's eyes are wide as he takes in the bustling city and at first Laxus thinks it's in wonder, but then the other boy starts trembling. Freed presses himself closer to his savior, making himself as small as possible as he's led through the streets. They arrive at the guildhall, the tall wooden building open and friendly, if not a bit imposing._

 _Laxus slams the door open. Used to it, no one bothers to glance up as he walks to his grandfather's office, Freed nervously trailing after him._

" _Oi, Gramps, I'm back," announces Laxus. He gently pushes Freed forwards._

" _Laxus. I trust the job went well?" Ivan Dreyar's voice answers instead of Makarov's._

" _Yes, father. I defeated the dark guild Death's Skull and rescued Freed," Laxus replies respectfully, gesturing to the boy beside him. He glows a bit when his father gives him a proud look._

" _I see you brought their captive back." Ivan's voice hardens slightly and Laxus hides a flinch._

" _Yes, father. He's a Rune mage who they forced to learn Yamino Ecriture."_

" _If he was too weak to escape, then why did you bring him here? Fairy Tail is for the strong, Laxus."_

" _He is strong." The young Lightning mage is barely hiding his trembling, but the green-haired boy by his side notices, shooting him a quick, worried look. "He's injured, Father, but he's still standing and walking without support. They beat him but he still has fire and defiance." Out of the corner of his eye, Laxus sees Freed's eyes widen in awe as a light blush covers his face. Ivan's eyes narrow as he looks over the small boy, resting his gaze on that odd purple-black fire in his right eye._

" _He's not welcome here," begins Laxus' father. Makarov walks in._

" _I believe I am the guildmaster, Ivan. Fairy Tail welcomes anyone who wishes to join- the strong, the weak, the young, the old, it does not matter who they are." The small man walks over to Freed who looks at him with wide, confused eyes._

" _I'm Makarov, the guildmaster of Fairy Tail and Laxus' grandfather. The man you were talking to is Ivan, my son and Laxus' father."_

" _F-Freed Justine."_

" _Where would you like your guild stamp, Freed?" The boy looks down at his hands and holds up his left hand, the black symbol standing out starkly against his pale skin._

" _Here. So I can cut my bonds to Death's Skull and replace them with loyalty to Fairy Tail." Makarov looks thoughtfully at the mark._

" _I can remove that, but it will hurt. I am not the master of that guild so I cannot do it in the usual way."_

" _I don't care. Just take it off." Ivan and Laxus watch carefully as fire suffuses Freed's hand in the shape of the mark. The young Rune mage stands firmly, allowing the fire to burn away his past without a sound, though his jaw is clearly clenches and his posture is tense. The fire disappears and all that's left is a red burn mark in the shape of skull and scythe melded together._

" _I'll let it heal before I stamp you," offers Makarov, but Freed shakes his head._

" _No, I want the stamp now. It will- it will remind me that that part of my life is gone. Every time I feel pain, I will know that it was my choice and not forced upon me." Laxus looks proudly at Fairy Tail's soon-to-be newest member before watching his father's reaction. Ivan's face hasn't changed and it's clear his opinion of Freed hasn't either._

" _Weak fools," mutters the man before storming away._

" _What color do you want your mark to be?" Makarov asks, ignoring his son's departure._

" _Light green." With that, Makarov gently stamps the burnt hand over where the old mark once was._

" _Welcome to Fairy Tail, Freed." The boy's eyes shine as he exits the office, leaving Makarov and Laxus alone._

" _I'm proud of you, Laxus." The boy tilts his head._

" _Why? I didn't do anything." Makarov shakes his head._

" _No, you gave Freed a home. You stood by him, even when your father was against you. I'm proud of you for doing that." The Lightning mage blushes lightly as he turns to leave._

"Wow, that sounds like a really great guild," interrupts Natsu. Wendy agrees rather dreamily.

"Don't interrupt me," orders Laxus. His attempt at intimidation is defeated when he sneezes, lightning jolting out of his mouth and hitting just to the right of Gajeel's head. The Iron Dragon Slayer's hair stands on end, almost shooting straight up. Laxus ignores that and continues.

 _Entering the main hall, Laxus sits at his usual table and looks for Freed. The young mage is talking animatedly with a few people from the guild, carefully avoiding looking at anyone with his eye. Laxus has to frown slightly at that, but realizes it's probably for the best. He sighs lightly, assured that Fairy Tail's newest member will be fine._

 _He could probably take Freed under his wing, but he wants to give the Rune mage a chance to really carve his own place in the guild and thinks Freed would want that too. If Laxus makes it clear that Freed is his friend, he's pretty sure the Rune mage won't make any more. Laxus stands and walks to his bedroom. Halfway up the stairs, he looks down again to check on Freed and finds the green-haired boy's eyes drifting over everyone in the hall. He watches as Freed's shoulders slump slightly, apparently not having found what- or who- he was looking for. Laxus isn't vain enough to assume Freed was looking for him, but he'_ _s fairly sure_ _it's true. The blond turns away and continues to his room._

 _It's just a few days after Freed joins that Laxus returns from his latest job. There's something different about the guild and the way the Rune mage holds himself. His injuries are gone, likely due to the work of Porlyusica, but he curls in on himself and always stares fixedly at the floor. Laxus knows he should go over to the younger boy and say something, do something, but he's a coward at heart. He turns away and finds another job._

 _Over the next month or so, Laxus carefully avoids Freed without making it seem like he is. It's not hard to do. Laxus is fairly sure that the Rune mage is too shy to approach him on his own, and is proven right when a flash of green out of the corner of his eye reveals Freed walking towards him, only to turn back a few seconds later. Really all Laxus has to do is sit at his table and subtly not approach Freed._

 _Then, as he keeps a blue-grey eye on the Rune mage, Laxus watches as the younger boy enters Makarov's office. He's not in there for long and, surprisingly, approaches the blonde nervously. Laxus brings his gaze up to meet Freed's, noting the way the other boy seems to keep his purple-black eye half closed but failing, face unused to the position. Something pulls at Laxus' heart when he looks at Freed's other eye. It remains the same lovely blue-green it was when they met, but it's sad and lonely and just a bit empty._

 _They go on a job together, as per Makarov's orders, and that's when their friendship really starts. Freed looks happier than he has in a month but it's quick to disappear when he's immediately targeted by Cacoa. When Laxus enters the guildhall the next day, Fairy Tail learns to be more open-minded about newcomers. No one ever figures out what the Lightning mage says to Cacoa to make him shut up about Freed, but for the next month, the Sword mage quite literally grovels at the green-haired boy's feet every time the Rune mage passes him. Even after he's stopped, Cacoa doesn't dare even look at the pair again._

 _It's three months after becoming close friends that Freed brings in the first stray. There have been a few more mages to join, all of them broken in some way or another, but for some reason, the young Rune mage focuses on the newest member, Evergreen. She has Fairy magic and Stone Eyes that she can't control. Although Laxus likes to think he knows Freed well, the Rune mage being his best friend, even he doesn't know why it's Evergreen Freed focuses on. He's the least likely to be discriminatory towards mages, but her uncontrollable Eye magic that everyone fears is the only reason anyone can think of._

 _Somehow it doesn't surprise Laxus that his friend persistently works at a friendship with Evergreen despite her attitude towards him, and he welcomes her with a pair of non-prescription glasses to control her magic into the group. She fits in with them easily and Laxus can't help but like her straightforward personality, and the way she's loyal and down-to-earth and has a mean streak several miles wide._

 _Freed's reeling in another stray. It can't be called a habit, because this is only the second time it's happened, but it feels like it happens all the time. Laxus, this time with Evergreen by his side, watch as their friend approaches the newest member, Bickslow. He doesn't put up as much of a fight as Evergreen did and a few minutes later, he trails nervously after Freed. At first he seems like the Rune mage when he first joined- nervous, shy, and just a bit scared, but he really grows into himself once he's taken in by the group. His laughter is loud and insane and his personality mirrors that. He's open and strange and cracks stupid jokes and teases everyone, even Laxus, constantly with a lighter tone than Evergreen does. He just what the team needs, even if they almost-but-not-quite hate him over half the time. Thus is born the Rajinshuu._

 _*End Flashback*_

As Laxus finishes his story, he realizes that the others have changed spots and are practically asleep. Wendy is curled up against his right side, Natsu on his left. Gajeel is nearly lying on top of Natsu which Laxus would tease him about if he didn't have each of his large arms wrapped around Wendy and Natsu. Rogue leans against Gajeel, while Sting is almost completely on top of the Shadow Dragon Slayer's lap. Cobra is sprawled out across his, Natsu, and Gajeel's laps. Laxus joins them in their relaxation, slumping down against the wall with his head falling on top of Wendy's, the world drifting into a blur of colors and sounds drifting away.

None of the young slayers notice seven dragon heads peeking inside the cave with the draconic equivalent of a soft smile. A gentle spurt of fire from Igneel warms the cave just a bit more, and the seven curl up closer to each other. The dragons leave.

* * *

 **A/N: This takes place after the Storm's Lullaby.**


	16. List of TitlesInsultsNicknames

**A/N: Alright. I feel guilty for writing in an author's note chapter because I hate it when people do that. Don't worry, this isn't sort of any bad news- just me asking something. I've noticed that a sort-of-not-really big thing in Fairy Tail is nicknames/insults. Natsu and Gray insult each other. Gajeel calls very few people by their name- Shrimp, Salamander, Titania, etc. A lot of mages have 'titles' of sorts. I'm pretty sure there are a few other examples, but those are the only ones I can think of. So, I have composed what I will be calling a 'Comprehensive List of Stupid Nicnames/Titles/Insults." This brings me to the what I wanted to ask. While I have the usual long list of insults used by Natsu and Gray on each other, plus some titles, plus nicknames Gajeel uses and a few others, I would appreciate suggestions for those I have nothing for and even those I already have nicknamed/insulted/titled. Mainly, though, I would like ideas for nicknames for Cobra, Sting, and Ryos/Rogue.  
**

 **Natsu- Salamander, flame-brain, Flamebrain (affectionate nickname/insult type thing) ash-for-brains, ash-for-breath, squinty-eyes, flame-breath, fiery mouth breather, Pyro (by Igneel only and sometimes Gray).**

 **Gray- ice-stripper, stripper, popsicle, pervy popsicle, ice princess, droopy-eyes.**

 **Wendy- Little sky? Hatchling and little Hatchling (by Grandeeney only).**

 **Laxus- Sparky, my spark (Astrapi only).**

 **Sting- Sunshine? Maybe? No freaking clue. Also little light and my light (by Weisslogia only).**

 **Rogue- Ryos (only on Draconia and earlier and later by Gajeel), my shadow and little shadow (by Skiadrum only). Other than that, no clue.  
**

 **Erik- Cobra (only called that) _neidr_ (by Gwenwyn only), no clue what else.  
**

 **Gajeel- metal-brain, metalhead, scrap metal, Black Steel.**

 **Metalicana- Old Man, maybe pops?**

 **Freed- Greenie (I might just keep that a Bickslow thing)**

 **Levy- Shrimp**

 **Um. Yeah. That's really all I have. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.**

 **Thanks.**


	17. Fairy Tail

**A/N: Alright, first of all, I would like to thank people for their reviews. I planned on fighting to finish this story to its end even if I got no favorites, followers, or reviews, but your comments on this make it so much easier to get up the will to write, so thank you for commenting on this. Secondly, while this is a sudden jump from Draconia to Fiore, I have chapters about the dragons' leaving in the works, so don't worry, you will get to read about how the slayers reacted to that and how they ended up parting ways. I will also write how the others came to their respective guilds/companions. Thank you for reading this and, as always, please review!**

* * *

Fairy Tail

It took months of travelling, but Magnolia finally came into view. As they got closer and closer to the city, Laxus got visibly more excited, his blue-gray eyes finding a spark that Natsu hadn't seen since the dragons disappeared. It was still a painful subject for the two, one that neither dared breach. Their moods did lighten the closer they got to Laxus' home, a few faint smiles making their way onto sorrowful faces.

Twenty minutes later found Natsu standing with Laxus in front of a large wooden building, a sign with a symbol between two words, proclaiming it 'Fairy Tail.' Natsu actually looked nervous, hesitance clear in his slow, shaky steps. Laxus, on the other hand, was practically bouncing with excitement, although a closer look showed him trembling with nervousness. Worries flew through his head, though if memory served and the guild hadn't changed too much, he knew they were unwarrented. Still he couldn't help but wonder if his grandfather was still master, and if the Rajinshuu would still accept him. Would his guildmates be angry at him for leaving or would they forgive him? Were there new members? How many? Questions and worries swarmed in his mind to the point that Natsu had to gently nudge Laxus, signifying that they were at the guildhall. That was the most major but also horrifying change in the Fire Dragon Slayer. Where once upon a time Natsu would have punched his honorary brother with a fire-enforced fist to get his attention, the pink-haired boy simply tapped him. It also wasn't like him to be so quiet and subdued and clearly nervous. The boy with a passion that matched his flames was not meant to be so quiet.

The dragons' leaving had broken him, hopefully not beyond repair.

The two Dragon Slayers stood in front of the plain wood door for a few seconds before Laxus shoved them open with a bang. The people inside froze and looked towards the doorway to see two menacing figures haloed in daylight. One was tall, broad frame with a familiar heavy fur coat swirling behind him. The other was shorter and more slender, but clearly well-muscled with strangely long spiky hair. The blinding light faded to show more features and colors. Both were dirty, with worn, stained, and battered clothes. The taller had fairy long, spiky blonde hair, electric blue-grey eyes, and a lightning scar over his right eye. The other had pink hair and dark green eyes that were nearly black. The blonde was strangely familiar, especially the lightning scar, but the guild didn't dare believe it was who they thought it was. A shout of excitement from a long, green-haired mage settled the matter.

"Laxus!" cried Freed in a show of extreme emotion he showed only around his idol. The Rune mage seemed to have an innate sense of when Laxus was present, and it was doubtful he would ever not recognize him. Barely a second later, a tall, slender, almost feminine man slammed into the Lightning Dragon Slayer. Freed hadn't changed in looks much. He was, of course, taller, but he had the same long green hair, the same red coat and fairy-tail-symbol-guarded rapier at his waist.

Slender but well-muscled arms wrapped tightly around Laxus' torso and an angular face was buried in a broad chest. Surprisingly, rather than shoving the Rune mage off playfully, Laxus returned the hug, on hand toying with silky strands of green hair. The pink-haired boy who had entered with Laxus stood awkwardly but defensively to the side. His fists were ablaze and he looked ready to fight. Freed's... overenthusiastic greeting had immediately put Natsu on guard, and he had yet to relax. He wasn't used to being around so many strangers, especially not other mages.

A few seconds later, Evergreen and Bickslow came running, joining Freed in hugging Laxus. Almost laughing but grinning in true happiness, Laxus adjusted his hold to accomodate the other two, though he kept a hand in Freed's hair. Natsu looked even more confused and wary with the two new additions, but he heard Laxus' slight chuckle and relaxed, letting out a small smile himself.

"You made him laugh," he noted in near amazement. "Laxus-n- Laxus hadn't laughed in forever. I think he really missed you guys. He hasn't shut up about you since-" A fierce glare quickly shut Natsu's mouth, but his words did bring attention to him. The Rajinshuu and Laxus had stopped hugging, but stood close together.

"Natsu, you don't shut your goddamn mouth about that and you get fried." The words, though threatening, were laced with good humor.

"Bring it, Sparky," retorted Natsu, his voice holding the same not-quite-joking tone. Before his honorary brother could lash out with crackling fists, the three mages who surrounded him turned to face the flame-covered boy.

"How dare you demean Laxus in such a way!" all three shouted in unison, readying their magic along with the two newcomers.

"Oi, Natsu, try to hold back, will ya'? If Fairy Tail hasn't changed too much while I was away, then they already cause the master enough of a headache without you destroying the building." A brief nod was all Laxus recieved before a blazing fist sailed towards him... and missed, cleaving into a pale-skinned, dark-blue eyed, black-haired boy who immediately stripped and slammed his fist against his open palm, sending lances of ice towards Natsu. The pink-haired boy dodged and the attack nearly hit a red-haired girl half in armor. She joined in with deadly ferocity, a sword appearing in her hand. Her wild swing nearly hit a blue-haired girl with her nose buried in a book. She remained oblivious to the fighting as two boys, both tall and skinny, joined in to defend her. Soon the entire guild had joined in the fight, Natsu at the heart of it. He had formed an 'alliance' (ignoring the other) with Laxus and, by extension, the Rajinshuu, in favor of taking on the now-naked boy with the ice.

Magic, fists, bodies, tables, and chairs flew across the room until a massive fist slammed into the floor, halting Fairy Tail's very first full-guild brawl. Everyone halted mid-action and looked up to see a tiny, white-haired man, scowling and fuming. Before he could scold the members, Laxus stepped into full view, Natsu scrambling to join him.

"Hey, Jii-jii," said Laxus casually. The old man's eyes widened, wavering slightly with what had to be tears.

"L-Laxus... you came back..." With those trembling words, he slowly walked up to hug his grandson. Laxus accepted the hug and though he would always deny it, his eyes shown with tears.

He was home.


	18. X777

X777

July 7, X777 is a sad day for the seven young slayers of Draconia. The previous night had been one where the seven shared their hut, and Natsu somehow managed to wake first, before the sun even. He quietly gets dressed and slips outside, gently closing the door behind him before leaving to find Igneel. When the Fire Dragon is not in his usual cave, Natsu thinks nothing of it. When he's not visiting any of the other dragons, and Natsu checks every sings one Igneel might talk to and even some that he wouldn't, the Fire Dragon Slayer starts to get scared. Ever unobservant, it's only around an hour after he woke, the first beginnings of the sun peeking over the mountains, that Natsu realizes that the sky is void of dragons.

Even this early in the day and even in the middle of the night, there are always at least a few dragons awake and stretching their wings. It's now that full-on panic overtakes Natsu, and he rushes into the hut to wake up his honorary siblings.

"Laxus! Gajeel, Wendy! Cobra! Sting! Ryos!" he shouts, "Wake up!" He's terrified. He and his honorary siblings are here and their dragons aren't, and anyways there's no way they'll be able to leave Draconia.

Slowly the others stir, grumbling and glaring.

"Oi, Flamebrain, why'd you wake us up?" complains Gajeel with a growl.

"I can't find the dragons. I can't find _anyone_." Natsu's words, small and broken, have an immediate effect. The others scramble to get dressed and Wendy's wide brown eyes fill with tears as she trembles. Somehow, that Exceeds plus Cubelios remain sleeping through the noise, ignored by the panicked slayers.

"Have you checked the lava caves? Gwenwyn's field? The cliffs?" demands Laxus.

"I checked everywhere! I'm not worried for nothing and I wouldn't scare you guys if I weren't sure!" Laxus doesn't bother getting angry as he shoves open the door, followed closely by the others. Natsu gently tugs Wendy with him, arm wrapped comfortingly around her shoulders.

The moment they're outside, the empty pink and orange skies are the first sign that something's wrong. They call out for their dragons, running to check where they could be, Wendy screaming for Grandeeney through sobbing breaths. Cobra and Ryos, usually the most impassive, are shouting too. All seven look terrified. Finally, two heads appear. One is black, encased in wavering shadows; the other is white with two short, deer-like horns.

Skiadrum and Weisslogia emerge, the former almost solely supported by the White Dragon.

"My… shadow..." rasps Skiadrum, still-bright red eyes focused on the white-faced Ryos. He knows his foster-father is dying, is sick, and has been for some time. It still pains him to see the one-great Shadow Dragon straining to even stand up.

"Skiadrum..." Ryos' voice is small and soft and scared, sounding like the five-year-old he is. "Where is everyone? Why are they all gone?" His voice rises in his panic.

"Ryos. My shadow… it was time..." The Shadow Dragon's voice is weak and raspy as he attempts to stand straight, breaking into deep, wet-sounding coughs instead.

"No! No! Why? Why did they abandon us? Tell us!" Ryos' desperation and terror show in his wavering yet fierce voice and the firm set of his face. His red eyes are filling up with tears.

"It… was… time..." Skiadrum repeats, head lowering briefly. "My shadow… you must kill me… and bathe in… my blood… and give me… mercy. Then you will… unlock your… true… powers," says the Shadow Dragons slowly through slow, wheezing breaths. The black-haired five-year-old's face twists in horror and fury.

"No! I won't! Don't ask me to! Please, Skiadrum, don't tell me to kill you!" begs Ryos as he dissolves into tears, fierce sobs wracking his small frame. Tears pour down his face as he looks up at his weakened foster father. He looks painfully at his honorary siblings.

"Help me!" he says, voice broken. Sting reacts first, quick to defend his oldest and best friend.

"How could you ask him to do that, Skiadrum?" he demands. "You'll shatter him!" The two dragons before the group share a long look before Weisslogia turns to look down at his son.

"Sting. You must kill me, too. I cannot stay here and it's too late to go where the others have gone. I chose to stay by Skia's side, as I always will, to ease his passing. I know you overheard Astrapi talking with Laxus on the subject of mates. You understand what will happen to me once my Skiadrum is dead." Sting shakes his head fiercely, tears flying through the air.

"We won't! You can't make us!" he screams, and Ryos fiercely stands beside him. The other four look sadly on. Laxus blocks Natsu's attempts to get to the two slayers, shaking his head firmly. This isn't their fight.

"Ryos… let me… be at… peace..." Skiadrum rasps, voice weakening with each word forced out on his long, rattling exhales. His red eyes are dimming as his head sinks towards the ground. Ryos shakes his head mutely even as he slowly walks up to his foster father.

"Will it… will it help?" He sounds like he's honestly considering it, red eyes bright with pain. Sting reaches out to stop him, but he shakes off the hand.

"Ryos..." says the blonde sadly.

"He's in pain, Sting." Ryos tries to form more words, but all that emerges is a choked sob.

"S-shadow Dragon's Roar!" he shouts, shadows emerging from his mouth and striking the dragon before him. The impact forces Skiadrum into a coughing fit, blood spattering the ground.

"Shadow Drive," whispers Ryos. Shadows surround him in a wavering, black aura and he runs at his foster father, leaving a trail of glistening tears behind him. The others can barely watch but can't look away at Ryos unleashes a fierce assault on Skiadrum. Dark flashes of shadows are all that can be seen of him as he slowly beats down the Shadow Dragon. Finally, breathing heavily through his tears, Ryos halts before the dragon. Skiadrum's eyes dim and he exhales shakily before falling to the ground. Blood suddenly spurts from his wounds, for some reason delayed until his death, catching Ryos in the spray of crimson. He screams, eyes wide, hands over his mouth as he shakes violently. An inhuman sound rushes from his throat, twining with the sound Weisslogia makes at the same time. It's deafening and seemingly endless as it echoes around Draconia. The sun is fully risen, beginning its journey around the clear azure sky. It's not supposed to be so pretty, so bright and beautiful like this, not when it's such a horrible day, not when the haven is filled with blood and tears and sadness. It's not supposed to be sunny.

Ryos and Weisslogia end their mourning cries, and Sting is quick to pull Ryos to his feet. The black-haired boy shakes himself violently.

"No, no, I have to get it off. His blood, I have to get it off, I have to-" his voice is cut off as he stumbles away from Sting's support, falling on his hands and knees has he vomits. The others can only watch as their honorary brother shatters. Natsu and Gajeel gently take the five-year-old, trying their best to comfort him.

"My light..." says Weisslogia, voice heavy with grief. "Please." The White Dragon says no more as his sinuous neck turns and bows so his head gently nuzzles the corpse of his mate. He seems to fight back yet another keening sound as his pained eyes turn on his son.

"Please, Weiss. Don't make me. Don't make me," begs Sting. Behind him, Ryos stumbles to his feet, intent on attempting to comfort the blonde. Laxus holds him back.

"You must!" roars Weisslogia, yellow-white eyes alight with fury. He stands strong, wings flared out at his sides, face twisted into an unrecognizable mask of grief and rage. Sting trembles before the might of his foster father, shaking his head.

"No!" he screams back.

"Do it, Sting Eucliffe, or I will kill you and your siblings," growls Weisslogia, voice deadly. He's not sane now, the death of his beloved mate doing things to his mind that none of the children can even begin to comprehend. All seven of them know that the White Dragon will, indeed, stay true to his word and kill the group, no matter how much he cared for them in the past. Skiadrum is dead and nothing can stop the wrath of his still-living mate. Sting turns his blue eyes on his honorary siblings. His family. His face hardens in a tenuous resolve and he faces his foster father.

"White Drive!" he shouts. Suddenly he's just a blur of white light, launching attack after attack on the White Dragon. Weisslogia fights back. He lashes out with his claws and snaps his teeth at the air around him as though Sting is nothing more than an annoying bug he wants to squish. A ray of blinding light escapes his mouth, unbending as it shoots high in the sky, Sting dodging it quickly. He lashes out with his tail, narrowly missing the other six slayers and whips it around to send the White Dragon Slayer flying back. The blonde lands, kneeling on the ground.

"White Dragon's Roar!" he screams, and a ray of light strikes Weisslogia head-on. It stuns the White Dragon and singes the thick hair of his beard. He stumbles back and Sting uses the chance to jump onto the dragon's back. He launches attack after attack at the top of Weisslogia's head and slowly but surely beats the dragon down. Finally, shoulders heaving, though from sobs or exhaustion no one can tell, he comes to a halt and jumps off of his foster father's head.

"You got what you asked for," he says through tears.

"Thank you… my light..." whispers the White Dragon as he slumps forwards, blood staining his formerly pristine white coloring crimson. Sting, too, is dripping with blood and it's difficult to tell what is his and what is the dragon's. Either way, he lets out shrieking sobs as he falls to the ground. The rest of the slayers run to him and try their hardest to comfort Sting and Ryos through their own tears.

All of a sudden, the Happy, Carla, Lector, and Frosch come running up to the group while Cubelios flies above them.

"Sting-kun..." says Lector sadly.

"Ryos..." Frosch whispers, walking up to the Shadow Dragon Slayer with its musical sounding steps. The exceed rubs against Ryos' face in worry. A pale, shaky hand reaches out to pet Frosch on the head.

"I- _we'll_ be fine," he mutters to the Exceed and the blonde beside him. Sting nods in agreement.

"Fro thinks so too," says Frosch hopefully. Ryos manages a small, sad smile at the Exceed's trademark line. The group falls into silence, unsure of what to do in the wake of the morning's events. The sun is still climbing the sky, bright, disgustingly cheerful rays beaming down on the group, covering them in heat.

It's Wendy who breaks the mournful silence. "How do we leave?" The words slap them in the face. The bright, warm haven full of greenery and life and memories, so many memories, seems dull now, despite the bright light that embraces Draconia. It doesn't seem like a haven so much as a lifeless, shattered prison of bittersweet memories. Never again will the huge, graceful forms of dragons cut through cloud and sky. Never again will they walk the earth with the sun glinting off their colorful scales.

The dragon haven holds no dragons, only seven lonely children in a lifeless prison they once called 'home.'


	19. When You Go

When You Go

It takes a bit for the reality of the situation to sink in. They're seven children, their ages ranging from five to sixteen. Natsu, Laxus, Gajeel, and Cobra have spent nine years in this haven, spent nine years calling it 'home.' Sting, Ryos, and Wendy have only spent two, but it's as much of a home for them as it is the other four. It might as well be all the seven of them know. The idea of leaving seems unnatural to them. It also seems like a non-issue. All the seven want to do is be left in their grief and their loneliness, but they also know they need to think practically.

"We have the Exceeds," Natsu begins slowly. His voice is too loud in the silence of the haven. "Happy, Carla, Frosch, and Lector can take me, Wendy, Ryos, and Sting. Cobra has Cubelios. Laxus can use his lightning form. Gajeel…." Natsu trails off in thought. "Laxus, you could take Gajeel with you." The Fire Dragon Slayer's suggestion hangs in the air, not completely reaching the ears of the other six slayers. It seems strange that he's the most clear-headed of the group.

He's not. Memories of him and Igneel together flash through his mind and he wants to scream and sob and beat the ground but he doesn't. Igneel taught him to always look forward, into the future when he's sad and Natsu is determined to live up that. One day, he decides, he _will_ find his foster father and when he does, he'll kick Igneel's ass for leaving him like this.

"Fine," Laxus agrees after a few seconds and Gajeel just nods. The silence returns, the slayers lost to their memories and their grief. Their dragons are gone. Their dragons are gone and, as far as they know, won't ever return and it hasn't quite hit them yet even though the proof surrounds them in the form of an empty dragon haven.

Then it crushes them.

"Grandeeney!" screams Wendy. Her voice is desperate and sudden and she dissolves into sobs that shake her entire body and steal her breath as she cries harder than she ever has. Her mother, her warm, gentle, loving, protective mother who was, who still is, _everything_ to her is gone, just like that with no warning or words.

Grandeeney left her, and that thought breaks the little five-year-old.

A hot hand falls on her back, another on her hair, and one on her shoulder. Wendy manages to look up through her tears and finds Natsu rubbing her back comfortingly, Gajeel's hand a firm presence on her shoulder, and, surprisingly, Laxus' hand running soothingly through her hair. She desperately sucks in a breath, then another, then another and slowly manages to calm down.

"Grandeeney's gone," she whispers brokenly.

"We know, Wendy. We know," whispers Natsu gently.

None of them know what to do now. They can't get up the will to stand, to move, to leave, but they know they have to. They can't stay here, so isolated from civilization, even though they wouldn't die living here. The memories will drown them.

The sit there, huddled together beneath the sun that beam down cheerfully as though mocking their grief and their loss. It's Laxus who forces them to get up.

"C'mon, we can't stay here," he says gruffly, gently tugging Wendy to her feet as the others soon follow.

"Where- where will we go?" asks Wendy in a small voice, brown eyes wide and fearful.

"We can decide when we're away from this place." Slowly, manages to coax the others into preparing for their journey. The Exceeds and Cubelios can only watch helplessly as their friends try to piece themselves together. The dragons have taken something irreplaceable with their leaving, something that the little animals fear their slayers will never find again.

The slayers manage to pull themselves together after a while more of tears and comfort, but even then they're dull and lifeless, far from the vibrant children they had been only yesterday.

"We'll meet up the moment we're back on land, okay?" says Laxus. The others nod in halfhearted agreement. They all leave at once, but are quickly separated. Although Cubelios is huge for a snake, Cobra can barely fit on her back. Laxus and Gajeel are by far the fastest at this point with Happy saving his energy for making it all the way across the various natural barriers between Draconia and the rest of civilization. Sting, Ryos, Frosch, and Lector manage to stay together, as always, while Wendy and Charle trail a bit behind Natsu and Happy.

The trip takes a bit over a week and remains steadfastly uneventful. It's almost worse than being back in Draconia because being carried through the air by a small-to-medium-sized animal doesn't really allow for any entertainment but thinking. All any of them can do is dwell on the dragons and why they left and if they'll ever see them again. It doesn't make for a very cheerful flight.

They're forced to stop several times and are careful to let their rides rest well before making the longest stretch over the ocean. Finally they end up on a beach at the very edge of Fiore, tired, cold, and all-around miserable. They spent another week together, camping out on the beach, unwilling to let go of their last connections to their dragons and Draconia and also unwilling to lose what little of their makeshift family was left. They had plenty of experience with remaining in close quarters with each other for extended periods of time, so they never end up sick of each others' presence, and their sudden clinginess also keeps them peaceable.

They act as they would have had they stayed on Draconia.

"This ain't right," comments Laxus to himself one morning while the others are still asleep.

"What do you mean, Laxus-nii?" asks Natsu sleepily.

"This whole setup. I mean, didn't we leave so we could move on from the past? Stayin' here, it's holding us back. Hell, we might as well have stayed in that place if we're just gonna act like we're still there."

"No!" screams Wendy, flailing briefly as she wakes up. "Don't leave me!" Her sudden motion causes the rest of them to stir and calm her down, even in their half-asleep states. It's a testament to how much this is holding them back that it's become a common thing for one of them to wake up screaming and their reactions to being woken like that have become subconscious.

"See, that's what I'm talkin' about. We're never gonna be able to move on if we can't let go of the past. What was it Igneel said to you, Natsu? Somethin' about lookin' towards the future when you're sad?"

"'Speak of the future and it will become your will to live,'" Natsu says softly.

"Yeah, that. If we're too weak to move on, how're we ever gettin' our dragons back? Any one of em'd be disappointed if they came back and found us in this sorry state." Laxus' harsh words are softened by his tone and the fact that he's right.

"I don't want to be weak anymore," says Wendy in a strong yet quiet voice. It's the first time in two weeks that she's spoken without sounding on the verge of tears. Her brown eyes are fierce and serious as she looks at her honorary brothers. "I don't want to be the one who has to be protected all the time. I want to be able to protect everyone I care about." She gently separates herself from the pile of limbs that are the other slayers, who also untangle themselves. Laxus grins slightly at the way his youngest sibling has managed to grow more in the last five seconds than she did in the two years.

"You're right, Laxus-nii. Igneel would be disappointed in me," Natsu says a bit darkly. He looks up at the pink-stained sky and shouts to it, "I _will_ be the strongest mage in Fiore, no matter what anyone says! I won't let anything hold me back! I'll make you proud, Igneel!" Cobra and Gajeel look significantly more alive as they realize that Gwenwyn and Metalicana would also be disappointed. Gajeel can almost hear what his foster father would say- _I did not_ _spend my precious time_ _rais_ _ing_ _you and teach_ _ing_ _you my magic so you could hoard it, brat. I_ _spent_ _it so you can be strong._

"You're right, Sparky," says Gajeel roughly as he tilts his head back to stare at the sunrise.

Sting and Ryos have barely stirred since Laxus started talking, but they're clearly awake.

"It doesn't matter what Weisslogia would think," Sting says morosely. "There's no chance of him returning to pass judgment on me." Ryos nods in silent agreement. It's no surprise to the others that the two have taken Draconia's events the hardest. They were forced to kill their parents, not an easy feat for anyone, but especially not for two five-year-olds.

"Then that should be all the more reason to get stronger and move on," Natsu insists. "You're not doing their memories justice by wasting away here. None of us are."

"What's the point of honoring memories, Natsu? I'd rather just have Weisslogia alive." Sting's voice is as dull and lifeless as he looks.

"You're both insults to them!" shouts the pink-haired boy thoughtlessly. The Exceeds slip away unnoticed at the impending fight, while the other slayers quickly move between him and the two younger slayers, ready to break them apart should they start fighting.

"That was uncalled for, Natsu," Laxus says seriously.

"But they are! Weisslogia and Skiadrum, all of dragons, they took us in because we were weak but we wanted to be stronger. They taught us this magic so we could protect ourselves and our friends and our family, not so we could waste away on some random beach at the edge of the world! It's a waste of magic and a waste of their time if we don't use it!" Natsu is mindless of the fury that's clearly growing in Sting and Ryos through his passionate speech and keeps on talking even through Laxus and Gajeel's attempts to shut him up.

"I think that Natsu-nii-chan is right," Wendy's says in a soft voice, breaking through the haze of anger that's fallen over her honorary brothers. Sting and Ryos look at her with slight betrayal in their eyes. Natsu is probably Wendy's favorite out of the other six, but she sides with Sting and Ryos, the same age as her, most often. She's also been in the third worst state out of all of them, and Natsu's words are harsh.

"Wendy?" asks Ryos in confusion.

"They're dragons, Ryos-nii. They loved us, otherwise they wouldn't have cared for us. I know- I know Grandeeney wouldn't want me to spend the rest of my life hoping she comes back for me and never moving on or really living. And- I think that Weisslogia and Skiadrum wouldn't want that for you, either. If we don't move forwards, then our dragons have taught us and raised us for nothing," Wendy explains, soft voice gaining confidence as she goes on.

"At least Grandeeney isn't dead! At least you didn't kill her with your own hands! At least- at least she didn't _beg_ you to kill her!" explodes Sting, thoughtless and ruthless in his hurt. He dissolves into harsh sobs, curling in on himself as he makes heartbreaking little keening sounds. Ryos tries to comfort him while crying himself, red eyes glaring balefully at Natsu and Wendy, silently blaming them for his best friend's breakdown.

"Grandeeney might just be gone, not dead, but my first mother is," Wendy says in a voice that shouldn't be as harsh as it is. "I- I think I knew that she would die the moment she told me to run, but I still ran because I was too weak and too scared to even think about trying to protect her. I… Not long after she found me, I asked Grandeeney to take me back to the valley. I hoped that my mother or father might still be alive but injured. I didn't find either of their bodies, which I guess is probably a good thing, but I found where she told me to run and there was- there was blood everywhere. All of us are hurting, Sting-nii. We've been hurting for years now, even before the dragons found us." Sting and Ryos haven't softened at Wendy's words, though the others look sympathetic.

"None of you had it as bad as us," Sting says with deadly softness, blue eye hard as he glares at the rest of his siblings. It's a self-pitying, self-important, low blow that the others quickly take offense at. Even Ryos looks admonishingly down at his best friend. Gajeel, Natsu, Cobra, and Laxus look murderous at Sting's thoughtless words, while Wendy just looks hurt.

"Listen, you dim lightbulb," growls Gajeel, the words emerging from deep in his chest. "You don't get to be all high-and-mighty about how terrible your past was. Yes, you both were beaten and unloved by your parents, but you seem to be ignoring the fact that you had _someone_ to support you! You had each other, I had no one, Cobra had no one, Natsu had no one, and Wendy had no one. My parents threw me out of the fucking house when I was fucking three. We lived in the fucking _mountains_ \- no three-year-old can live through that and no one else in the fucking place would take a toddler. I was fucking _lucky_ my old man found me, otherwise I'd be fucking _dead_. Same with Natsu, same with Cobra, and same with Wendy. Don't go lookin' for sympathy when you're surrounded by people with the same fuckin' problems as you!

"How the hell do you think Flamebrain felt, at fucking two years old, alone in a random forest and not even knowing who the hell his parents are or why the hell they left him alone? Or Cobra, feelin' it was his fault his parents were dead, and his entire fucking village against him? Wendy may well have had it worse'n the rest of us- she lost the parents who she loved. Hell, havin' Grandeeney leave is the second time she's been left by parents she loves. An' Sparky might not've been hurt or abandoned by his old man, but his fucking bastard of a father put 'im through hell at fucking three fucking years old. I ain't gotten a lacrima stuffed inside of me, but goin' off of what Sparky says, it hurts more'n you could imagine.

"You weren't the only ones hurt by the dragons leaving. Hell, at least you two got fuckin' closure from them. The rest of us don't even know if they're dead or alive or bein' kept somewhere!" Any anger Natsu, Laxus, and Cobra would have felt towards Gajeel for speaking for them is negated by the fact that the Iron Dragon Slayer has said what they all want to. While gruff and far from the most personable of people in the world, Gajeel is also the most protective of his honorary siblings, even against each other. His words ring true, but that just makes Sting and Ryos even madder.

"None of you were beaten half to death! You don't know the kind of fear where you're terrified to even move for fear of pain, the kind where you shape yourself to someone else's whims to spare yourself from being hit! You don't know what it's like, having pain inflicted on you by the people who are supposed to protect you and love you," rants Sting, tears having long dried up and blue eyes colder than ice.

"Fucking hell, what is this?!" shouts Cobra. "Some sort of 'my past was worse than your past' pissing contest? Just get over yourselves. Our lives sucked, then they didn't, and now they suck even worse. Comparing shitty childhoods isn't about to change a goddamn thing, especially not how shitty our lives are or were! The dragon's are gone, none of us can be considered adults, and we're alone in the middle of abso-fucking-lutely nowhere. Sitting here and shouting about how you had it worse than someone else is just a waste of time! If that's all you plan on doing for the rest of your lives, then I'm out. We all have better things to do with our time than complain about how much our parents sucked." With that, Cobra stands up and walks off, Cubelios curled around his arm.

The others sit there quietly, processing their honorary brother's metaphorical slap in the face. His blunt and brutal honesty is exactly what they need to realize they're being stupid and childish.

"This is why we need to leave," Laxus says quietly. "We're holdin' each other back, and sooner or later, we're gonna be at each other's throats, literally."

"Cobra-nii-san, please don't leave!" shouts Wendy a bit frantically. The maroon-haired boy stops and turns.

"You all finished being stupid?" he calls back. The others nod guiltily, and he walks over to them, taking his former seat between Laxus and Gajeel.

"We- no, _I'm_ sorry," Sting says quietly, looking down in shame. "I said things I shouldn't have because I was hurt and angry. And I know- that's not an excuse for what I said."

"You're right. It's not," Laxus says harshly, and Sting flinches. "I, at least, forgive you, though. We're all angry and hurting, an' we've been around each other too long. We all said things we shouldn't've." The rest nod in agreement, but don't move from their spots to physically show forgiveness.

"Wait, where's Happy?" asked Natsu, realizing that his best friend is nowhere to be seen.

"Frosch is gone too."

"And Lector."

"Charle's not here either." With a growing panic, the Dragon Slayers with Exceeds realize their companions are also gone.

"Happy!" shouts Natsu. "Happy! Where are you?!" At the sound of his voice, four winged figures slowly appear. The Exceeds drift down to join the seven slayers.

"Is Ryos finished fighting?" asked Frosch in a small voice.

"Yeah, we're done. Sorry for scaring you." Despite the brief answer, Ryos' voice is full of warmth as he reassures the little Exceed.

"Good. Frosch doesn't like it when you fight." With that, it curls up against Ryos' hand, while the other Exceeds follow suit.

"So now what?" asks Sting after a few minutes of silence. "Laxus-nii-san is right: we can't stay here."

"I made a promise to Freed and Evergreen and Bickslow before I met Astrapi, and I intend to keep it. Fairy Tail is still home to me," Laxus announces to no one's surprise. Whenever he speaks of the Rajinshuu, he gets a wistful look in his eyes that tells the others that there's nothing in the world that could stop him from returning to his team.

"D'you think Fairy Tail would take me, Laxus-nii?" asks Natsu hesitantly.

"Sure. Jii-jii likes to make it clear that everyone's welcome to the guild."

"Then I think I'd like to go with you to Magnolia." Laxus shrugs, which Natsu takes to mean he's welcome to join the blonde.

"I'd like to have a chance to depend on myself, rather than you guys. I really do want to be able to protect everyone I care about," says Wendy. "Maybe I'll even find Grandeeney." The others look at her, worried about the little five-year-old girl wandering around Fiore by herself.

"Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself?" Natsu voices the other five's worries.

"I'll be fine. Maybe I'll even find a guild who will take me," Wendy assures with a small smile. The others don't bother to try to convince her otherwise. Wendy, despite her small stature and her shyness, is the Sky Dragon Slayer, daughter to Grandeeney. She can take care of herself, but she also needs to build confidence in herself, which she can't do if her honorary brothers are smothering her.

"What about you, Cobra?" asks Natsu.

"I've only ever known Draconia and my village, and I'd like to see what the rest of the world has to offer."

"I'm with pointy-ears on this one," says Gajeel. "There's too much to see t'settle down in one place."

"I'll go wherever Sting goes," says Ryos.

"And I'll follow Ryos." The rest blink at the two.

"You'll be followin' each other if you go about it like that," points out Gajeel.

"Maybe we could look for that old lady," suggests Sting. "The one with the garden. She probably got worried about us when we disappeared."

"She was old, though. She might not be alive, or she might have left."

"We were only gone two years."

"A lot can happen in two years, as we've seen."

"C'mon, Ryos. If she's dead or not there, you can say 'I told you so,'" wheedles Sting. His black-haired companion gives in easily.

"Fine, but I decide where to go after that."

"Done." Destinations decided, the seven look at each other.

"I don't wanna leave you guys," says Natsu. "Laxus and I are the only ones with a specific place we want to go to, but the rest of you could be anywhere. We won't be able to keep in contact."

"What if we met up somewhere once a year? We could catch up on where we've been and what we've been doing," suggests Ryos.

"When and where, though?" asks Laxus. The seven fall quiet as they think about where they could meet. They don't know any specific locations in Fiore aside from Magnolia, but they don't really want to catch up in a crowded, bustling city.

"Draconia," Wendy says suddenly. "We could meet back home on the same date that the dragons disappeared."

"We don't know what today's date is, Wendy. We don't even know what year it is, so how're we goin' to find out the exact day the dragons disappeared? I doubt the rest of the world would know," points out Gajeel.

"S'been about sixteen days since we left the haven, judging by how many nights've passed. I think I met Mom in X768 when I was seven. If the dragons really did keep track of the date, then I'm sixteen. That'd make it X777," reasons Laxus. "Dunno what the day is, but we can ask some stranger an' do the math."

"So, meet back home every year on the day the dragon's left?" checks Natsu. The others nod in agreement.

"I guess… I guess this is when we leave?" asks Wendy. It seems like an abrupt time to part ways.

"Tomorrow," says Laxus. "Just one more day with each other."

"Aw, Sparky cares," teases Gajeel. He's met with a glare from the blonde in question.

"Shut it, tin can," growls Laxus. He and the Iron Dragon Slayer end up fighting, Natsu joining in just for the hell of it.

He never could resist a good fight.

The other four Dragon Slayers sit back and look on as bursts of lightning, fire, and metal shards dissipate into the air from the tangle of fists and feet that are Natsu, Gajeel, and Laxus. It's a bittersweet familiarity, watching them go into their usual routine of turning nearly ever conversation into a fight, but it's also reassuring to know that those three haven't irreparably changed.

As the fight ends and the daylight dwindles away, the seven children sit and talk about details of their plans for the near future, along with their hopes and their fears. They muse over where the dragons might have gone, and they laugh and joke and tease each other like everything's normal, and the dragons aren't gone.

The next morning, they go their separate ways with borderline forced cheer and walk towards their futures.

They'll be okay.


	20. I Hate My Weaknesses

I Hate My Weaknesses (They Make Me Who I Am)

It was a few days after Laxus' eighteenth birthday, and about two years since he'd returned to Fairy Tail, the strange pink-haired boy at his side. Neither of them would say where they'd been or how they knew each other. The most the guild could get out of them was that they were searching for two dragons who had become their foster parents.

To Fairy Tail, the bond between the two was not one that could be understood. Natsu was immediately welcomed at Laxus' table by the blonde in question. They talked, often, about things no one knew about, reminiscing by the distant look that appeared on their faces. When one of them was upset, the other seemed to automatically know the reason and whether they should be left alone. Laxus could often be found by the river where Natsu always seemed to go when upset.

They trained together. It was rare for Laxus to join in the guild-wide fights and even more so for him to train with someone. Natsu had been impressively powerful when he first joined, for all that he was eleven years old, and had only gotten stronger in the two proceeding years.

Despite, or maybe because of, their apparent closeness, Natsu and Laxus fought. Constantly. A simple conversation could turn to blows, a training session could turn to blows, a single motion could turn to blows. What was more impressive than their impressive ability to turn any interaction into a fight was that Natsu could actually hold his ground against the blonde. The power gap between them was noticeable and impressive, so it wasn't that Natsu was as strong as Laxus. Far from it, in fact. Thought the pink-haired boy was certainly powerful in his own right, he really couldn't hold a candle to Laxus' strength, physical and magical.

Though the Fire Dragon Slayer wasn't quite as dumb as he appeared to be, he was far from a genius until it came to battle and that was what gave him the slightest advantage, along with the fact that the two had clearly known each other for a large portion of the Laxus' absence. The moment the two seemed about to fight, Makarov instantly ordered them outside to preserve the guildhall and they were always followed by the majority of the guild to watch as they managed to know exactly what the other would do from the slightest twitch of muscle, the quickest flicker of an eye, and the faintest change in breathing. Past that, Natsu could take maybe one or two hits before he was down and Laxus could take as many as Natsu could land. It was really a game of dodging and prediction, but it was fascinating to watch.

In short, though, the Natsu and Laxus knew each other very well and the entire guild knew it.

That was the reason that they turned to Natsu the moment he entered the guildhall. The blonde Dragon Slayer had finally shown up at the building after a three-day absence that was clearly noticed by all, especially the Rajinshuu. His return, though, did very little to dispel the slight amount of worry he'd caused his guildmates; quite the opposite, in fact. He sat, not at his usual table, but at the edge of the main room in the Fairy Tail guildhall. There was a clear divide between him and the rest of the guild, not that he seemed to notice. The blonde was distant, glaring in the direction of the rest of the Fairy Tail mages but not looking _at_ them. He kept up a near-constant growl that rose and fell in volume at seemingly random intervals. He snapped viciously at nearly everyone who attempted to approach him, Freed being the only one exempt from the treatment but still firmly pushed away, though not physically.

The odd behavior had been going on all that morning, and naturally, Natsu seemed to be content to sleep in. When he finally arrived at mid-morning, Happy fluttering at his side, he was instantly mobbed by the frantic Fairy Tail mages, all clamoring for an answer at once. The pink-haired boy seemed overwhelmed by the attention, green-black eyes widening as he tried to escape the crowd. His face was twisted in discomfort and he kept making aborted motions to cover his ears. The little blue Exceed at his side went unheard as he desperately tried to assist his partner.

Surprisingly enough, Gray ended up defending his rival/friend with a barrier made of ice which forced mages to stumble away, and a fierce glare. The group quieted, and the Ice mage allowed his magic to dissipate, though Natsu was quick to catch a piece of ice in his hand and hold it to his head.

"Oi, if you want my attention, try not deafening me!" he said, voice clearly annoyed. The Fairy Tail mages lowered their heads with guilt, having forgotten about their guildmate's incredibly sensitive hearing. Thankfully, they kept quiet and allowed the Rajinshuu to press forwards to question Natsu. It only seemed natural that they find out more about what was wrong with their friend and leader.

"Natsu, I take it you know what's wrong with Laxus?" asked Freed calmly, blue-green eye betraying his worry. The young Dragon Slayer looked over at the blonde and, after a moment of thought, nodded.

"I think Astrapi talked about something like this. Mating, I think? I dunno, it was kind of boring… but yeah, I think Laxus is looking for his mate," said the pink-haired boy thoughtfully, face screwing up in his attempt to remember.

"Natsu, you're memory is terrible," Happy pitched in, circling his best friend's head.

"Like you can remember it any better," scoffed Natsu.

"Astrapi said that you get possessive and protective instincts, but I think she forgot to talk about the stage where you're looking for your mate," replied Happy a bit smugly. Natsu glared playfully at his best friend.

"Oh yeah..." he remembered. "She also said that it's hard to be around people with your mate." The young slayer looked as though he were trying to remember more, but ended up shrugging. The guild sweat-dropped, not terribly surprised that the young slayer had provided practically no insight on whatever Laxus' problem was. Disappointed, everyone but the Rajinshuu, Gray, Mira, Erza, and Makarov wandered off to do their own thing.

"You really can't remember anything else, Natsu?" asked the guildmaster. The pink-haired boy shook his head.

"Astrapi didn't go into very much detail about it and it wasn't really that interesting to me," he explained.

"So the only way for Laxus to be back to normal is by finding his… mate?" asked Freed in a tight voice. Disappointment, sorrow, and jealousy warred on his face and he flinched every time someone said the word 'mate.' The rest of the Rajinshuu looked at him in sympathy. It had always been very clear to everyone who knew him that the Rune mage was in love with the blond Dragon Slayer, but naturally the only one who didn't know was the object of his affections.

How typical.

Natsu didn't answer and when the group actually looked at where he should be standing, he was gone. It was easy to find where the pink-haired boy had wandered off to because he was the only other person in the ten-foot area devoid of people surrounding Laxus.

"Well, I hope he finds a way to fix Laxus," said Gray as he wandered away, only to be halted by three furious mages.

"Don't make Laxus sound like a broken toy!" shouted the Rajinshuu in unison. Thankfully, the potential for a brawl which would inevitably turn into a guild-wide brawl was halted by Makarov, who looked curiously at his grandson and Natsu.

"I think he knows how to help my grandson," reassured the tiny man as he, too, walked away. The Rajinshuu stared at the two Dragon Slayers who now sat side-by-side, talking quietly, Natsu glancing over at them every few minutes.

Astrapi had never told Laxus exactly how he would feel when he was searching for his mate. She had never told him about the cold he would feel even when directly in the sun, or the way everything around him seemed dull and colorless, or the strange, sharp stabbing feeling where his heart was. It was an overall uncomfortable state to be in, which made the blonde even more irritable than usual. He didn't want to deal with anyone, he wanted to be left along to his own devices and, preferably, fight things.

Sadly, he knew that a few days was the maximum amount of time away from the guildhall he could get away with before he had over fifty worried mages trying to break his door down.

He missed the relative privacy of Draconia.

Laxus found himself rather thankful for his already surly attitude and the fact that his entire guild was terrified of him when he stormed into the Fairy Tail guildhall the next morning. Any attempts to ask him where he was and what was wrong were quickly aborted with a single glare. The various presences of people who _weren't his mate_ grated on his nerves for some reason, so having everyone keep a wide birth around him was probably for the best.

He steadfastly attempted to ignore the fact that when his green-haired friend approached, something uncoiled within him and he found himself relaxing when he hadn't even realized he'd been tense. Some sort of sound that he refused to identify as a purr (it probably was) fought its way out of his chest and throat, but he forced it down.

Laxus knew exactly what that meant, and it didn't really surprise him- after all, hadn't Freed been on his mind the moment Astrapi talked about mates? He pushed away the feeling and gently but firmly told Freed he was fine, so please leave him be. Ignoring the way his heart warmed when Freed, without question, left him alone with a worried look from that blue-green eye, Laxus forced himself not to reach out and grab the Rune mage's wrist and keep him there, resulting in an aborted jerking motion. Thankfully, Freed didn't notice.

Laxus was being a coward.

The Lightning Dragon Slayer pushed that thought away and went back to glaring at nothing, watching Freed from the corner of his glare all the while. This time he couldn't fight back a growl as the Rune mage had his back patted comfortingly by Evergreen and his long ponytail tugged by Bickslow. He'd been practically growling all morning, though, so it didn't draw much attention.

Fuck his life. Fuck his life, fuck his magic, and fuck dragons for having the stupid instinct in the first place.

Laxus slammed his head against the wall rather painfully and glared some more when most mages looked up at him with wide eyes at the resounding thud. All his head-slamming did was make the back of his head ache.

Growling slightly again, the blonde forced himself to close his eyes and fall into a meditative state that Astrapi had taught him. It was easiest to reach when he was outside surrounded by rain and booming thunder and the flash of lightning, but he'd managed to perfect the art of drowning out the world awhile ago. He felt antsy and couldn't stop opening one eye to peek at how Freed was doing, and the dull roar of guild chatter was making his head hurt.

Then he remembered that he had his music lacrima, the joint welcome back gift from his grandfather and team. It gave him some relief to have the steady beat of drums and bass fill his ears, reminding him of being in a storm. Most noise blocked out, Laxus was finally able to block out everything, including his own discomfort. Naturally that lasted about two seconds before something disrupted the guild and his meditation. He snapped open his eyes to at the guild, only to find Natsu surrounded by the pressing crowd, looking uncomfortable as everyone tried to talk to him at once.

Laxus had never understood why, but Natsu had the most refined senses out of him and the other five slayers. The pink-haired boy's nose was as good as a bloodhound's, his sight falcon-like, and his hearing like a bat's. Cobra, of course, had the best hearing, but Natsu's was the best without magic. He wasn't sure how the Fire Dragon Slayer could stand the constant roar of crowds wherever he went, but he apparently had some highly effective method of dealing with it up until crowds of people directed their words at him. Maybe the pink-haired boy could block out side conversations, but was forced to focus when they were all talking to him?

Whatever the method, it clearly didn't work when the entire guild was hounding Natsu, presumably about what was wrong with Laxus. The blonde rolled his eyes at the idea, even though it was most likely happening right in front of him. His guildmates were blind if they didn't realize that over a hundred people trying to talk to someone with _very_ sensitive hearing would result in extreme discomfort for said person with sensitive hearing. Only the blue cat fluttering around Natsu's head seemed to realize that.

Laxus was preparing to send a well-placed bolt somewhere within the crowd, small enough as not to cause more discomfort to Natsu but large enough to scare people when a wall of bluish white ice appeared around the pink-haired boy, clearly having come from Gray who, oddly enough, was fully clothed. The blonde sat back and allowed his incoming spell to dissipate, assured of Natsu's relief. He allowed a small grin at the sudden thought that those two were probably mates. Natsu showed affection through fighting and arguing, for some strange reason, and with the way he did so nearly constantly with the Ice mage, he probably _loved_ the black-haired boy.

Satisfied with the state of his honorary younger brother, Laxus began to meditate again, only to be interrupted by the smell of charcoal and fire. He opened his eyes and wasn't surprised to find Natsu sitting next to him, Happy not with him for some reason. A quick glance around the room showed the blue Exceed begging for fish. Sighing, the blonde removed his headphones.

"What is it, Natsu?" he snapped. His honorary brother seemed to think for a bit.

"Ne, Laxus, why don't you talk to Freed?" asked Natsu suddenly in his usual blunt way, though he was smart enough to keep his voice down to a level that would be impossible to hear without a) Dragon Slayer hearing or b) being right next to them. The blonde looked sharply at the boy beside him.

"That obvious?" he asked tiredly, unwilling to try to deny it.

"He smells like you. And you smell like him. Like ozone and storms and books and damp grass and ink," replied Natsu simply.

"That don't mean-"

"He's in love you," Natsu cut him off. Usually it would have resulted in a fight, but Laxus couldn't gather up the will to be annoyed, not when his honorary brother was trying to help him.

"Right," he said instead, tone disbelieving.

"You're the only one in the guild who hasn't noticed. Even _I've_ noticed." Natsu frowned at what he'd just said, realizing he'd technically insulted himself. "I mean, he practically worships you. Lisanna says that Mira says that Erza says that the Rajinshuu talked about how they met you, and apparently Freed almost said that was how he realized he was in love with you." Laxus looked at his honorary younger brother, blue-grey eyes widening slightly in surprise.

"S'been a few years since then, Natsu. It's not necessarily still true."

"It's obvious. Just because you're a stubborn ass who's too much of a coward to believe me doesn't mean it's not true," snapped Natsu. Laxus growled at what the pink-haired boy said, ready to blast Natsu into oblivion right there and then. He didn't take well to being insulted, especially when the insult was him being called a coward. Laxus was many things, but he would never run away or hide from a fight. Ever.

Something in Natsu's tone and open face struck Laxus. 'Coward' didn't always apply to fights, he realized, and it was stupid to get mad at Natsu when a) he was trying to help Laxus and b) hadn't he called himself that just a few hours ago? The blonde forced himself to relax and released his hold on the ever-present lightning that crackled so close to the surface. Just because he was on edge and for some reason didn't want to believe that the Rune mage who had quite possibly been his first friend was in love with him didn't give him the right to take it out on his honorary brother.

"What're you afraid of, Laxus-nii?" asked Natsu suddenly with genuine curiosity, breaking the blonde out of his musings. Nii. Natsu only used the honorific with the eldest Dragon Slayer when he was feeling particularly sentimental, affectionate, or worried and trying to keep Laxus calm in the face of that worry. The Lightning Dragon Slayer would be the first to admit that his usual reaction to vocations of any emotion that could be remotely considered 'worry' was getting offended and shutting down.

"Laxus-nii?" Right, Natsu had asked him a question. The blonde was chagrined to realize that he had no answer to it. All he did know was that the idea of Freed being in love with him was… terrifying. Terrifying and, honestly, strange.

"I dunno," he finally said honestly. "I ain't good at introspection. Just- give me a bit t'figure stuff out."

"Alright," Natsu agreed warily.

"I'll be fine, Natsu," Laxus reassured with a roll of his eyes. "Go an' fight with your boyfriend." A slight grin came to his face as Natsu sputtered denials and stormed off, only to actually start a fight with Gray. He shook his head a bit fondly and put his headphones back on and closed his eyes.

Right. Thinking time. Never Laxus' strongest suit- that was more Freed's job. Hell, it wasn't really any of the slayers' strong suits- only Ryos and Wendy ever seemed to put any thought into what they did, and even then there were multiple occurrences where they ran blindly into an issue. Him, Natsu, Gajeel, Sting, and Cobra, they all leaped headfirst into any situation and tried to solve most problems with a fight.

What the hell was wrong with him? Wendy and Ryos were the cautious ones. What he _should_ be doing was telling Freed he was in love with him, not sitting here snapping at anything or anyone that moved. He knew that the Rune mage returned his feelings- fuck, he was starting to sound like a teenage girl.

What was the real issue, then? He had been told by Natsu who, while never the most perceptive of people, could be counted on to tell the truth, even if it was overly blunt, so why couldn't he bring himself to believe it was true? Fuck, if he had some stupid, long-hidden inferiority complex then he was going to strangle himself. Then again, annoyingly enough, that might not actually be too far from the truth.

Fuck he hated thinking.

For the second time that morning, Laxus slammed his head against the wall, though not drawing as much attention this time. He caught Natsu looking up worriedly and gave a glare that somehow managed to convey that he was fine. He rather prided himself on his ability to manage to have silent, if one-sided, conversations through glaring. Sadly, the ability to read other peoples' expressions was a completely different matter, one that he far from excelled at.

He was getting of track.

Closing his eyes again, he returned to his inner musings. Where was he again? Right, the potential of him having some sort of inferiority complex. How the hell was he supposed figure his mind when he could barely figure out his own feelings? This was utter bullshit. He should just talk to Freed, not sit here contemplating whether he thought he thought he was 'unworthy' of love or affection. That was it, though, he realized, and fuck if it didn't piss him off that his asshole of a father managed to leave such a mark on him.

As much as Laxus wanted to blame the issue solely on his father, he honestly couldn't. All his life, he'd not only apparently failed to live up to the expectations of his father, but also lived under the shadow of his grandfather too. Makarov Dreyar, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, insanely powerful in his own right, and master of arguably the best and most famous guild in all of Fiore, housing two Dragon Slayers, the Titania, Gildarts Clive, the demoness Mirajane, and a host of other incredibly powerful mages. Laxus would have fine with his grandfather's positions, proud of them, even, had they not resulted in him being measured against his grandfather constantly. Everywhere he went he was identified as Makarov's grandson. He was powerful, as was only right being Makarov's grandson. That was all he heard nearly everywhere he went- Makarov's grandson.

So yes, he had probably managed to gain some sort of inferiority complex somewhere along the line. Being considered too weak and forced to undergo what was possibly the most painful process imaginable by his own father as a result could do that to a person. Hell, he'd practically begged like a dog for the tiny scraps of approval his father _did_ hand out sparingly, like treats. If he came back and said he'd defeated an entire dark guild single-handed, he might get a glint of approval and pride in his father's cold eyes. If he defeated a monster terrorizing villages, it was the monster that was weak, not him being strong. If he spent a week tracking down some creature or dark guild and then defeated it, he should have done it faster. If he came home injured, he should have been stronger and faster. If he came home half-dead but successful, he was an embarrassment.

That was just his father's treatment. His grandfather would always be proud of him, always have sympathy and a kind word, and always be there to patch him up. His mere existence would also always be hanging over Laxus. He was well-known. He was famous. People were terrified yet awed by his power. He was also known as Laxus Dreyar, grandson of Makarov Dreyar. Most days he doubted whether he was even well known for his own skill, his own merit. Had he even built a name for himself or was it all his grandfather?

It was that uncertainty, that feeling of 'did he do it himself' that Laxus figured was the problem. He'd been able to escape from that, back in Draconia. There, with his honorary siblings and Astrapi, he was himself. He was the strongest out of all of them, and he'd _proven_ it to them through his own hard work and his own displays of strength. In a way, the other six slayers, even Natsu and Gajeel, looked up to him because he was the oldest and strongest, not because of his grandfather. Returning to Fiore and the guild had only exacerbated his doubt of whether he could ever escape his grandfather's shadow. He had become infinitely stronger during his time on Draconia, and not because he was simply handed his new power on a silver platter, but because a dragon had deigned to show him the path to his new strength but not carried him down it. He'd begun to feel proud of the progress he'd made, but then he went back to Fiore, to Fairy Tail, and to his grandfather's ever-present, ever-looming shadow and was forced to his knees beneath it. Again.

He resented his grandfather and he resented the people of Fiore for that. So long as that giant shadow went on, following him everywhere he went, Laxus could never be sure of himself of his strength. He could never be sure of whether he was even worthy of all those people who looked up to him or wanted to be like him or respected him when he didn't know if they felt that way because he was his grandfather's grandson. He could never be sure of himself.

And therein lay the heart of the issue. Laxus would have to be blind not to notice the way Freed seemed to worship him and the ground he walked on. Not only did the Rune mage do absolutely nothing to hide it, but Natsu had also pointed it out, and Natsu might as well be blind as little as he noticed or payed attention to things like that. Freed's unwavering loyalty and the way he always looked up to Laxus translated in hero-worship, not love, yet there was Natsu, saying it was. That raised the question of whether the Rune mage's constant belief and trust in him, the way it seemed he would always follow him blindly, was the result of years of mutual trust and friendship or who Laxus was.

The blonde opened his eyes, blinking a bit as he allowed them to adjust to the light of the guildhall, and allowed his gaze to settle on one person. There was Freed, sitting with Evergreen and Bickslow and staring at him with worry clear in that one blue-green eye. A blush painted itself on the green-haired man's face when he noticed Laxus' gaze on him, but he didn't look away. The worry changed into a question of, _are you okay_? He nodded slightly, and the Rune mage turned away, apparently satisfied. There it was, that automatic trust in Laxus. Anyone else, including (probably especially, even) his honorary siblings would continue trying to press the matter, yet Freed trusted him to convey it if he wasn't okay.

He was being stupid and unfair to Freed. He trusted the Rune mage with his life, yet not to see him as he was rather than as Makarov's grandson? He felt rather guilty for thinking about the possibility of that being true.

Finished with thinking, Laxus stood and stretched. He caught Natsu's eye and gave him a look that said he was done being an idiot, though it must have gotten lost in translation, because the Fire Dragon Slayer gave him a glare said he thought Laxus had called _him_ and idiot. Ignoring that, the blonde walked over to his usual table while the guild looked on, hoping he'd found his mate and would stop being in such a terrible mood.

"C'mere, Freed," Laxus said when he reached the table. The Rune mage looked up at him, confused, but followed the blonde away from the guild anyway. He refused to talk until they were sitting side by side at the riverbank where Natsu usually went when he was upset. Laxus figured that the pink-haired boy wouldn't mind the use of 'his' spot.

"Laxus? Why are we here?" asked Freed.

"Alright. Obviously, you heard Natsu and his piss-poor explanation about the whole 'Dragon Slayers have mates' thing," began the blonde. He looked curiously at the sudden devastated expression on the Rune mage's face, ignoring the way he automatically wanted to hunt down and kill whatever or whoever put the expression on Freed's face.

"Yes, I did. What is the point of bringing me out here to talk with me about it? Should you not be going after your mate?" The Rune mage's voice was carefully blank, and Laxus immediately realizes what the problem was.

"For all that you're the smartest person I know, you can be surprisingly dense, Freed."

"What?"

"I _am_ goin' after my mate." The devastated look returned. Really, Laxus would have expected the Rune mage to clue in long before this.

"I'm sure she's very pretty and kind, and will love you and-" Freed's voice was getting increasingly more fake-cheerful as he spoke. He didn't seem to want to listen to Laxus' attempts to explain that for one, his mate wasn't female and for another, the idiot Rune mage _was_ his mate. Finally, the blonde settled for kissing him silent. It was effective in shutting Freed up and sort of gave an explanation.

A few seconds of surprise later and the kiss was reciprocated. Feeling the green-haired man relax, Laxus pulled back.

"You ready to listen now?" he demanded. Freed nodded, blue-green eye wide. "Good. Can you figure out who my mate is for yourself, or do I have t'spell it out for you?"

"M-me?" Huh, Laxus thought Freed's stutter had disappeared years ago, but it apparently still came out occasionally.

"Yeah, you." There didn't seem to be much more to say than that.

"Does that necessarily imply a romantic relationship?" asked Freed. Trust him to hide what he really wanted to ask in a question like that.

"No, but I thought I'd made it pretty clear I'd be open to one by kissin' you."

"You know, you were correct in saying that Natsu had a 'piss-poor explanation' about mates," noted Freed. "I don't quite understand the concept."

"Well, Astrapi told me eighteen is the human equivalent of draconic maturity," began Laxus before launching into an explanation of what his foster-mother had told him in Draconia.

"So if I were to express certain feelings to you..." Freed trailed off nervously. The blond Dragon Slayer laughed slightly and pulled the Rune mage into his side.

"Not yet, Freed. S'too soon for that, but I do like you." The green-haired man stiffened slightly in surprise before relaxing contentedly into Laxus' side, head falling to rest on the broad shoulder next to him. They sat there, enjoying the feeling of warm sunshine in their skin, Laxus grateful that the odd, prickling cold he'd felt earlier was gone.

Sadly, their moment seemed destined not to last more than a few minutes. The Lightning Dragon Slayer had eaten very little in the three days he'd been gone, and his hunger finally decided to assert itself.

"C'mon, let's get some lunch," he said, reluctantly breaking the silence. The green-haired man tucked into his side started a bit.

"At the guild? Or somewhere else?" asked Freed, shifting a bit to look at Laxus' face.

"Guild. I'm starved and it's closer." As the two stood, a slight frown made its way onto the Rune mage's face when Laxus swayed, feeling a bit shaky now that he'd acknowledged his hunger.

"How long has it been since you've last eaten?" asked Freed worriedly, putting a steadying hand on Laxus' arm.

"About when I stopped showing up at the guildhall. The whole 'mating' thing's pretty damn uncomfortable." Laxus blinked as he was suddenly and rather forcefully dragged in the direction of the guildhall.

"You should remember to eat," admonished Freed. "It won't do anyone any good if you don't, least of all yourself."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Laxus brushed off the worry with a roll of his eyes. "Won't happen again." When the entered the building's side door, Freed was quick to usher the blonde to their table, which was strangely empty, and bring a plate stuffed with various foods that the Lightning Dragon Slayer devoured with impressive speed.

It wasn't long until Natsu appeared at their table.

"Laxus-nii, you done being an idiot?" he asked cheerfully and needlessly. Even Natsu couldn't be blind enough to not notice that Laxus' demeanor had changed drastically since that morning.

"Oi, watch it, Flamebrain," he growled warningly.

"Did you just address Laxus as your brother?" asked Freed, brow furrowed in confusion and surprise.

"Huh?" Natsu looked just as confused as Freed. Laxus rolled his eyes at his honorary younger brother's stupidity. It was an odd, unspoken agreement between them that they would generally not address each other as the family they had become on Draconia, though neither of them were quite sure why. There was no reason to hide it, but it felt natural to upon joining the guild.

"You said -nii," Laxus pointed out in a tone that clearly showed his thoughts on Natsu's intelligence, or lackthereof.

"Oh, yeah. I guess I did. Sorry Laxus," said the pink-haired boy in surprise.

"You're brothers?" Freed looked more relieved than confused as he said that, for some reason.

"Not by blood. We and a few others I met while I was away ended up like siblings in all but blood," explained Laxus casually.

"Oh. Most of the guild assumed-" Freed cut himself off, blushing slightly.

"What?! No! That'd be like wanting to date Bickslow. Natsu's like my brother an' I don't even like him half the time," Laxus said in disgust. Natsu nodded vehemently in agreement before wandering away to pick a fight with Gray. The Rune mage watched the pink-haired boy's retreating back curiously.

"What happened while you were away, Laxus?" asked Freed once Natsu left.

"Lots of things, Freed."

"Where did you go?"

"A place that's not really around anymore."

"I'm glad you came back. I missed you."

"I missed you too," came the reply after a moment's hesitation. Laxus slung an arm around Freed's shoulders and pulled the Rune mage closer.

"Tell me about it?" requested the green-haired mage quietly.

"About what?" asked Laxus who had his eyes closed.

"What you did. Where you went. What it was like." Laxus smiled slightly and, in a soft voice, talked of the hulking, majestic figures of dragons wheeling across bright blue skies. He talked of the makeshift family and the bonds he formed while he was away. He talked of a second home.

* * *

 **A/N: So, this is rather unimportant but I figured I might as well mention it. At some point, I plan on going back over the titles I have for these chapters and changing some of them, otherwise they're going to get REALLY repetetive. I'll probably use the classic song lyrics title on most of them. This particular one is from the song Joyriding by Frnkiero andthe Cellabration. The last chapter's title is from I Don't Love You by My Chemical Romance.**

 **On another, more important note, I will probably not be updating this quite as often as I have been. School is coming up in a month, so I'll be focused on that and any extracirricular activities I choose to take, rather than writing. I also have to admit that I've been losing inspiration for new chapters, so any suggestions you have would be much appreciated. Thank you and, as always, please review!**


	21. Untitled pt I

Untitled pt 1

Even though they're all in different guilds and Cobra is in prison, the Dragon Slayers are still close family. Wendy remains their little sister, and is even more so now that she's a part of Fairy Tail, which Gajeel, Natsu, and even Laxus are overjoyed about. Sting and Ryos, now Rogue, are still Wendy's older brothers (even though they're technically the same age. Everyone babies Wendy) and little brothers to the rest. Laxus is still the eldest, Cobra the standoffish one, Natsu the one who keeps everyone together, and Gajeel still the moody one.

All of them except Wendy, Sting, and Rogue have already passed the age at which their mating instincts start up. Despite the mates being, well, _mates_ , they must, of course, be approved by the six other Dragon Slayers, no matter how old the mated slayer is. Even if Sting and Rogue are in a completely different guild quite a ways off from Magnolia, where most of the slayers are, and even if Cobra is in prison, they will somehow gang up on any of their honorary siblings' mates. It's the law of siblings.

* * *

They start with Freed. Laxus is, after all, their big brother and he deserves to be protected by them too. Also, none of them would pass up the chance to annoy him. Ever. So, Sting and Rogue excuse themselves from Sabertooth by telling Jiemma they have a very important job that has to do with Fairy Tail and emerge, after recovering from their motion sickness, grinning, from the train at Magnolia station. They meet up with Wendy, Natsu, and Gajeel and the five head over to the prison to get Cobra. After quite a bit of failed intimidation, nearly getting arrested, lots of begging, reasoning, and arguing, they manage to get their honorary brother temporarily out of prison with promises to keep him handcuffed and return him when they're done with him. Bless Wendy and her cuteness.

Finally, the six are able to head over to Fairy Tail where Laxus is sitting in his usual corner at his usual table with Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow. Although usually unphased by the guild door slamming open, (the poor door is abused by Erza, Laxus, Natsu, Gray, and pretty much everyone in the guild) something draws the guild to look up. There stand three of the four familiar Dragon Slayers, plus two new ones and what the hell is Cobra doing here?

"Yo, Laxus!" shouts Natsu. The Lightning Dragon Slayer looks up from his discussion with his green-haired mate and pales drastically. He looks a bit faint.

"Laxus?" asks Freed worriedly, wondering why his Dragon Slayer ( _his_ , actually _his_ ) looks like he's about to faint. The blonde sways a bit in his seat, looking like he does when his motion sickness acts up. His blue-grey eyes look… afraid, and the Rajinshuu are immediately on their feet, standing over their Thunder God, glaring at the newcomers while wondering what the hell has made the Lightning mage so scared. Laxus gathers himself and stands behind his team, one large hand falling on Freed's shoulder.

"Run," Laxus says seriously. Something in his tone and posture makes Freed follow the order, despite how much he hates abandoning his team like that. The burly Dragon Slayer moves in front of Evergreen and Bickslow… and charges straight at the group in the doorway in lightning form. They shout as he runs faster than lightning, knowing that only Rogue has even a chance at catching him while he's like that. Even then, he's not sure if a shadow is faster than lightning. Gajeel is an Iron Dragon slayer, not meant for speed. Natsu might just be stubborn enough to catch up using his fire, and Sting has a surprising amount of speed too. Wendy's air can boost her, and Cobra will probably be left behind without Cubelios to ride on.

Despite knowing his honorary siblings well, Laxus' calculations are off. Rogue, as predicted, turns to shadow form and zips after Laxus, catching up after a few minutes of struggle. Laxus had forgotten about Happy's high speed flying, and Natsu is also using his flames to boost their speed. They soon catch up and he goes faster.

"Fast winds that run the heaven… Vernier!" shouts Wendy. She's faster than expected like this, and she's also manipulating the air to push her forwards in huge, leaping bounds that would make any normal person nervous about stumbling and is also somehow blowing fierce winds _towards_ Laxus to lower his speed while at the same time not impeding her other brothers.

Sting has activated his White Drive and gained extra speed from it, but he's not quite as fast as Natsu and Rogue who are definitely in the lead in the chase. Cobra, as predicted, isn't anywhere near as fast as the others and doesn't even try. Gajeel is putting up a fierce attempt to catch up with his other siblings, but quickly falls behind.

Between Happy's Max Speed and Natsu's fire boost combined with Wendy's wind, Laxus is caught. All seven of them are out of breath when they return with a literally trembling Laxus. The guild has to wonder what has arguably the best mage in Fairy Tail shaking in his boots.

"It won't be that bad, Laxus-nii-sama!" Wendy says cheerfully with her cutest look. The guild gushes over how cute she is, but her brothers know better than to fall for that. She can be vicious. Shoulders slumped, Laxus concedes to his siblings.

The guild decides that they will never understand the strange family dynamic between their Dragon Slayers and, apparently, the other three previously unknown honorary siblings. As the six begin forcing Laxus to get Freed out of hiding, Erza walks in, followed by Lucy and Gray from a quick, nearby job they were just on.

"Um," says Lucy, looking confused. "Why do you have Laxus cowering in fear? And why is Cobra here? And who are those guys?!"

"Yes," Erza says with a fierce look. "Do explain, Natsu." Just then, the seven Dragon Slayers realize that telling the guild about the whole 'growing-up-in-a-distant-haven-for-dragons-together-and-ending-up-like-siblings-aside-from-Sting-and-Rogue-because-all-of-them-are-very-sure-they're-mates-and-that-would-be-creepy' part of their past seems to have slipped their mind. Everyone knows that Laxus and Natsu already know each other, the two having shown up at the guild together. They also know that Gajeel knows Laxus and Natsu too. Upon Wendy's arrival, they found out that Wendy also knows Gajeel, Laxus, and Natsu. None of the Fairy Tail members have ever really figured out _how_ they know each other and put it down to some 'they're-all-dragon-slayers-and-also-kind-of-insane-so-why-wouldn't-they-know-eachother' kind of thing.

Natsu and Laxus have always fought, but Laxus is also protective of Natsu. Natsu and Gajeel always fight, but it is of a similar nature to Natsu and Laxus' fighting. Natsu, Gajeel, and Laxus all dote on Wendy, but everyone dotes on Wendy so it's not all that strange.

"Right… never told you guys, did we?" says Laxus.

"Told us what?" Makarov wonders.

"The whole 'growing-up-in-a-distant-haven-for-dragons-together-and-ending-up-like-siblings-aside-from-Sting-and-Rogue-because-all-of-us-are-very-sure-they're-mates-and-that-would-be-creepy' thing," Natsu explains in one breath. The Fairy Tail mages are silent for what.

"What?!" squawks Lucy, although she will always deny the squawking.

"Huh?!" shouts the guild as one, Lucy's not-squawk breaking them out of their confused daze. Everyone's eyes turn pure white, their jaws dropping comically.

"Good job, Salamander. You broke them," Gajeel comments sarcastically.

"Maybe you should have said that a little less bluntly," Rogue agrees neutrally.

"Natsu! Explain!" shouts Erza, descending on the doomed Fire Dragon Slayer. He hides behind Laxus, who eagerly moves out of the way in payback for what he knows is to come. Out of the corner of his eye, he notices long, light green hair emerging from upstairs as Freed comes in to listen. Natsu cowers in the face of the devil herself and desperately spills out the whole story.

"Laxus, Gajeel, Cobra, and I were found by our respective dragons Astrapi, Metalicana, Gwenwyn, and Igneel. We had some stuff happen to us that lead to that, but I won't go into it because it's their personal business and I value my life and even though I can beat metal-brain, his past isn't for me to tell," begins Natsu, rambling in his panic. Erza's glare darkens and he gets back on track. "Our dragons took us to a place that's not accessible by normal means called Draconia, which was a haven for dragons. There they taught us Dragon Slayer magic. We all hated each other at first, but eventually we reached neutral ground. Seven years later, Sting, Ryo- Rogue, I mean, and Wendy came with their respective dragons Weisslogia, Skiadrum, and Grandeeney. They were also taught Dragon Slayer magic. It was only when they arrived that we really started to become friends, and pretty soon afterwards we became like siblings. We're family. Then on July 7, 777, the dragons disappeared, except for Weisslogia and Skiadrum. Skia was sick, so he begged Ryo- I mean, Rogue, to kill him. Skia was Weisslogia's mate, so Weisslogia told Sting to kill him. They did and we didn't know what we'd do because the dragon's had left and we had no way out of the haven. I reminded them of the Exceeds plus Cubelios, and how Laxus can use his lightning form. We all met up on the first land we saw and we didn't know what to do. I wanted to join Fairy Tail because Laxus made it sound incredible, but Ryo- I mean Rogue, and Sting wanted to do things by themselves. Cobra just wanted to explore, and so did Gajeel. Wendy wanted to look for Grandeeney and learn to be strong in her own right. That was where we parted ways. Laxus and I went to Fairy Tail, Gajeel I guess joined Phantom Lord, Wendy ended up with Edo-Jellal and later Cait Shelter, Cobra I guess got caught and taken to the Tower of Heaven then joined the Oraceon Seis, and Sting and Ry- _Rogue_ ended up at Sabertooth. That's the truth, I promise, now please don't kill me!" Erza takes a step back, her demonic look fading from her face. She put a hand on Natsu's shoulder.

"Natsu… all of you… you've all been through so much..." she says quietly.

"But Gajeel, if you knew Natsu and Laxus were part of Fairy Tail, then why did you attack us? Why did you attack Natsu? And Laxus, why didn't you help us when we needed it?" Lucy breaks in, voice cracking a bit in her confusion. Gajeel and Laxus both look ashamed.

"I… Phantom Lord wasn't the best guild ever. What the master said, went. I knew that Sparky and Salamander went to Fairy Tail, but there was no way in hell Jose was gonna take 'no' for an answer." Gajeel is the first to explain. "Then you all attacked and I didn't see Sparky, but Salamander was there. I always like fighting him, but I also thought something had happened between him and Laxus and that's why Sparky wasn't there. I knew he wanted to come back so badly, for the Rajinshuu." At this, Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow jumped on Laxus with tight hugs and tears for him thinking of them even while he was away. "I was mad at Salamander because he was there and Sparky wasn't, in short."

"Oi! Metal-brain! You know I'd not do that to Laxus," shouts Natsu with a small amount of hurt. Rather than rising to the challenge, Gajeel nods saying, "I know, Salamander. Wasn't in my right mind then." In an oddly similar scene to their reconciliation on Draconia, the guilty parties explaining their actions with regret and unspoken apologies, Laxus joins in.

"As for me, I thought it wasn't worth my time. I knew Gajeel was in Phantom Lord an' figured Natsu could take care of the guild while I tried to find more about the guilds Sting, Rogue, Wendy, and Cobra were in. For awhile, the Rajinshuu, Natsu, and the rest of the Dragon Slayers were all I thought were important. And don't go makin' anythin' out of it, you six," Laxus growls warningly. The other slayers don't, but they're clearly pleased with the odd sort of affection Laxus shows.

"And you, Cobra! You almost killed us!" Lucy add indignantly. The Poison Dragon Slayer shrugs indifferently.

"You were simply a guild I needed to crush. I forgot much during my time at the Tower of Heaven and with Brain. With more important things on my mind, I forgot that Laxus and Natsu were in the guild. I attacked blindly and when I found myself facing Natsu, it became a sparring match," he explains calmly. Natsu gives a fanged grin.

"And I beat you!"

"You won't again."

"Wanna test that out, pointy ears?" shouts Natsu, fists aflame, bringing his face towards Cobra defiantly.

"I can beat you without any magic, any day." As the two Dragon Slayers begin to fight, the guild sweat-drops, and lightning crashes, throwing the two apart. The light fades to reveal Laxus, arms crossed, rolling his eyes.

"Now ain't the time, you two," he growls. Still glaring at each other, Natsu and Cobra move away from each other.

"I guess that explains a lot," comments Erza thoughtfully. "Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy worked surprisingly well together in Edolas, for all that it seemed they'd never fought together before."

"Sorry for not telling you, guys. We really forgot that we never had." The entire guild sweat dropped at Natsu's forgetfulness.

"You've explained how you know each other, but it still remains to be explained why all seven of you are here. Especially Cobra. He's supposed to be in prison." Erza's eyes narrow. "Did you break him out?" Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy frantically make x's with their arms with violent denials.

"You already know about Dragon Slayers and mating. That's why we're here," Sting explains with a wicked grin in Laxus' direction. The Lightning Dragon Slayer cowers in fear.

"I don't get it," says Lucy, her quick mind not managing to connect everything this time. Erza, too, is confused. Cana laughs drunkenly, which everyone ignores until she speaks.

"Isn't it obvious? They're playing the parts of the over-protective siblings and they also get to annoy Laxus," she explains, taking another swig of alcohol.

"Ohhhh!" shouts the guild in realization. Makarov begins cackling wildly at the sight of his tough grandson terrified of his siblings talking with the guild's resident Rune mage.

"Now, Laxus-nii-sama," Wendy says brightly with an evil look. The guild shivers at the way the cute, sweet girl looks so menacing. "We want to talk to Freed. We can go to your house!"

"It'll be like old times!" grins Sting evilly.

"Just us, and Freed. Talking," says Rogue.

"Sharing everything with no holds barred," adds Natsu.

"Oi! Is this about checking whether he's 'worthy' of me and all that shit or embarrassing me?" demands Laxus. His siblings pause.

"Both," reply six of the seven Dragon Slayers in perfect unison. Laxus tries to bolt again, but this time is caught by Rogue. He screams for help as his honorary siblings drag him, and Freed, away. The guild laughs.

* * *

Wendy, Natsu, Gajeel, Sting, Rogue, and Cobra settle comfortably in Laxus' house, setting the Lightning Dragon Slayer between Gajeel and Natsu, who have the quickest reflexes. Freed is put between Rogue and Cobra.

"So, Freed-sama," begins Wendy, sweet voice belying her evil smirk. "What are you intentions towards our big brother?"

"I will defend Laxus with my life! He _will_ be known throughout Fiore as Fairy Tail's best mage!" says Freed fiercely.

"So you plan on inflating Laxus-nii-sama's ego to even bigger sizes," Sting says flatly.

"Laxus is humble and kind. Even so, I also want to keep him grounded. Not even Laxus is exempt from my rules." The six Dragon Slayers sweat-drop at the idea of Laxus being considered 'humble' and 'kind.' He has his moments, certainly, and his ego isn't actually that big, but none of his honorary siblings would go so far as to use those particular words to describe him.

"You practically worship the ground he walks on. Why would you bind him to your rules?" asks Natsu.

"Those who break my rules will suffer a fate worse than death. No one, not even myself, is exempt from them."

"Alright, but do you really think you can keep him grounded like that? Sparky does what he wants," comments Gajeel.

"My rules are absolute." Freed is clearly obsessed with his rules, which sort of assures the other Dragon Slayers that he will, indeed, keep his blonde mate in line.

"Do you love Laxus-nii-san? I know you would lay down your life for him, but would you live for him?" Rogue throws in.

"I would do anything for him, but I would not run from a battle, even if he told me so."

"You ran today," points out Cobra.

"In a real battle, I would stand by Laxus' side until the very end! I would fight for him, I would shed blood for him, I would take injuries for him, and I would fight my very hardest to live for him." The blonde looks at his mate with soft blue-grey eyes and a small amount of awe at the devotion the Rune mage holds for him.

"But do you love him?" Rogue asks again.

"Yes. I loved him when he rescued me from the dark guild, and I love him still today."

"Are you sure it's not just hero-worship?" Cobra checks.

"It was, at first," admits Freed. "Then we became friends and I really got to know him and I really did fall in love with him. It stayed that way for the nine years he was gone and the feeling remains now." The green-haired mage tries to not squirm under the scrutinizing stares of six Dragon Slayers. They share a look and nod.

"Alright. We approve," Wendy decides. Laxus relaxes between Natsu and Gajeel.

"Now, wanna hear a bit about Laxus on Draconia?" Natsu asks wickedly. At Laxus' drastic paling, the Rune mage instantly agrees with a slight smile. As the blonde frantically tries to get his mate not to listen, there's a hint of good humor in those blue-grey eyes.

"Well, for awhile, I was pretty withdrawn from the others. I didn't want 'em to know my past. Each of them came up with some sort of idiotic plan, but I don't even know what Laxus was thinking when he put his in action," Cobra begins with a smirk. Laxus' face drains of all color.

"Didn't we agree to never think of that again?" he asks hopefully. It's an incredible change from his usual surly, antisocial personality, and a nice one at that. Cobra ignores him and continues his story which, by the time it's finished, has Freed laughing so hard tears stream from his eyes.

* * *

Natsu and Gray are the next to be ganged up on by the other six Dragon Slayers. Sting and Rogue have decided to stay awhile longer simply for that purpose, and also because they want to. They're supposedly on a job, after all, and it wouldn't be all that strange for them to be gone longer than two days.

The Fire Dragon Slayer and Ice mage are battling, yet again, in the middle of the guildhall and Makarov looks close to making them take it outside. It's difficult to see how the two are mates for quite a bit of the guild. Natsu's honorary siblings know he expresses, well, everything through fists and flames and Gray seems to be the same way.

Thankfully, they take their fighting a bit too close to Erza's cake and the Requip mage halts them immediately with a death glare. The other Dragon Slayers in the guildhall are sitting together, whispering conspiratorially as they occasionally glance up at Natsu and his mate sitting side by side, talking and arguing. Natsu glances up, feeling eyes on him, and the slayers quickly look away. The Fire Dragon Slayer manages to catch their gaze and grabs Gray's hand, practically dragging the Ice mage into the streets of Magnolia.

Natsu always did have the most refined senses and best reflexes out of all of them, though none of them are quite sure why.

The six share a look and are off, chasing after their honorary brother and his mate. The guild shakes their head in pity for the two boys. The citizens of Magnolia are quick to hide when they see the Fire Dragon Slayer and his dark haired companion dashing through the streets, followed closely behind by a bolt of lightning and a shadow.

"Run, Gray!" screams Natsu, still dragging Gray by his hand. The Ice mage is almost flying like a kite behind the pink-haired boy, unable to get his footing at the speed Natsu runs at.

"Dammit, slow down flame-brain!" shouts Gray.

"Can't! They're after us!" Natsu shouts and speeds up even more, using his flames to propel him even further forwards.

He leads his honorary siblings on a merry chase through Magnolia and a ways out from the city, despite dragging his mate the entire way. Gray has long since accepted that he's the equivalent of a kite in this chase and is definitely not sulking about it.

Finally, the six Dragon Slayers come up with a plan. Wendy will use her magic to launch Laxus forwards, giving him a boost for his Lighting Body, hopefully giving him enough momentum to catch up to Natsu, or at least grab Gray, probably the easier target. They execute their plan surprisingly well, and Laxus is able to grab Natsu and drag the pink-haired teen all the way back to Magnolia. Natsu tries to escape multiple times, but both Gajeel and Laxus have iron grips on him. Gray doesn't even try.

They begin dragging the two to Laxus' house, which has apparently become the unofficial headquarters of interrogations. Natsu struggles and shouts the whole way.

"Calm down, ash-for-brains," Grays says, rolling his eyes from his position between Rogue and Sting. "We're not gettin' out of this, so there's no point in trying. It won't be that bad, anyways."

"Won't be that bad?!" screams Natsu, redoubling his efforts. "You're even stupider than I though, ice stripper!"

"Oi! Who're you callin' stupid, squinty-eyes?!" demands Gray.

"You're stupid if you can't figure out I'm calling you stupid to your face, droopy-eyes!"

"You're the one who charges blindly into battle, flame-breath!"

"At least I don't strip mid-battle, pervy popsicle!"

"Your way of dealing with these guys was running around with me like I'm a kite, fiery mouth breather!"

"Your way of dealing with them is taking your clothes off, ice stripper!" Gray looks down at that and realizes that he has, indeed, stripped down to his boxers. Again. Rogue is quick to needlessly cover Wendy's eyes while Sting goes on a hunt for Gray's clothes. Sting returns with them a few minutes later, and the group stops so the Ice mage can put them on. Once he's dressed, Rogue uncovers Wendy's eyes. They each firmly grab one of Gray's arms so he can't strip again and continue on.

"You already used ice stripper, pyro!" Gray shouts, trying to pick up the argument again. Natsu halts in his struggles, mood almost instantly brought down while his honorary siblings freeze.

The Ice mage looks at them with confusion, not sure what he's done wrong.

"Natsu?" he says cautiously, surprised to see a sadness in his mate's eyes that he usually only sees around… Igneel's death.

"Igneel used to call him that," Laxus says softly, confirming what Gray has just begun to suspect. "All our dragons had nicknames for us. Astrapi, my foster mom, called me her spark."

"Grandeeney called me her hatchling," adds Wendy, the same sadness as her honorary brothers in her eyes.

"Weisslogia called me his light, or little light. Skiadrum used 'shadow' in place of 'light' for Rogue."

" _Neidr_ ," throws in Cobra. "It means snake."

"Metalicana used to call me brat, in the same way that the old man calls us his brats."

"I just used Igneel's name for Natsu as an insult," Gray realizes softly. He looks pained while Natsu seems pensive. "I'm sorry, Natsu. I didn't realize- no, I shouldn't have said that. You _told_ me," Gray breaks off, fists clenched. " _Ksa_ ," he swears, jerking his head to the side as he looks down angrily. That brings Natsu back to the present.

"Don't feel guilty, Gray. It's not the most important thing to remember about me," reassures the pink-haired mage. His voice isn't right.

"It _is_ important, because it's about Igneel and he's important to you." A small smile tugs at Natsu's lips, but it's far from his usual happy grin.

"Gray..." he says wonderingly. "I forgive you." The Ice mage carefully looks over the other teen for any leftover sadness before nodding.

"Fine. But don't tell me anything about you isn't of the utmost important again, flame-brain." Gajeel, Laxus, Sting, and Rogue suddenly release the pair. Rather than taking the chance to bolt, Natsu stares at his honorary siblings.

"Why'd you let us go?" he asks before hurriedly adding, "Not that I'm complaining, of course."

"We approve of Gray," announces Sting. "He's proved to us that he's worthy of you."

"Huh?" asks the teen in question. "You didn't even ask me anything. Not that I want you to, of course!"

"You answered them without us even asking, Gray-sama," explains Wendy kindly. "You just proved that you care about Natsu, and won't let him beat himself up. You acted really remorseful when you realized you messed up." She smiles at the two, and the group begins heading towards Magnolia again.

"So, Gray," begins Sting.

"Hey, Sting-nii, you're an idiot," interrupts Natsu.

"Oi!" shouts the White Dragon Slayer, swinging a light-infused punch towards his honorary brother. They begin fighting.

"I believe Sting was trying to-" Rogue is cut off by Natsu' flaming fist catching his cheek, and the Shadow Dragon Slayer joins the fight, teaming up with Sting.

"I think the flame-brained idiot is-" begins Gajeel.

"Call me by my real name, metal-brain!" shouts Natsu as he easily fends off Rogue and Sting's attacks.

"If you don't want me to call you a flame-brained idiot, don't call me metal-brain!" growls Gajeel as he turns his arm into an iron pole and sends it straight into Natsu's stomach. He, too, joins the fight, not really siding with anyone.

"So, as my brothers were trying to say," Laxus says, rushing the words out quickly.

"Hey Sparky, I finally beat you at something!" calls Natsu, still fending off Sting and Rogue with ease while Gajeel doesn't really care who he's attacking, but aiming most of his attacks at Natsu.

"Still haven't beat me at fighting, Natsu," roars Laxus as he joins in the fight.

"Natsu never told you about the time he-" Rogue suddenly goes flying into Cobra's back, causing the Poison Dragon Slayer to join in the fight, despite not being able to use his magic. Wendy sighs at her brothers' antics.

"Natsu once-" she begins in a rush.

"I'll never let Wendy mate!" Natsu shouts suddenly. "No one is good enough for our Wendy!" The others agree. It's odd to hear the little girl growl just as well as her honorary brothers as she turns to them with murderous eyes.

"You don't have any say in whether I have a mate! You can't shelter me forever!" she shouts, sending strong gusts of wind towards the fighting group, joining in because of it. Gray is left standing there while seven Dragon Slayers battle it out next to him. He laughs slightly as he realizes that, with his own brand of intelligence, his mate has successfully distracted his siblings from telling any embarrassing stories about him.

Figuring he can just pry them out later, he joins in the fight just for the hell of it.

* * *

Next is Gajeel. Currently, only he, Natsu, and Laxus have found their mates. Cobra has already reached the point where he'd recognize his, but he still hasn't found them. Sting, Rogue, and Wendy are still too young for it.

The group wants to get it over with quickly, because Sting and Rogue need to leave soon, and they also need to take Cobra back to prison before they bring the Magic Council down on them. So, it's just the day after that they start plotting. They're tired of having to chase the sibling whose mate they're interrogating, so they really try to come up with a more clever plan than kidnapping Gajeel and Levy.

"They'll be on high alert," points out Sting. "We've gotten through Natsu-nii-sama and Laxus-nii-sama already, and Rogue and I are leaving soon. It'll be obvious that we have to act soon, and we actually do have to."

"What if we lured them into a rune trap set by Freed?" suggests Natsu with surprising thought.

"No," Laxus shoots it down, shaking his head. "Levy's also a Letter mage, so she can take down his barriers, given enough time."

"But it'll slow them down long enough that we can get them," argues Natsu.

"Levy can turn words into reality. She could blind us and she's smart enough to think of it."

"Laxus-nii-san, you forget that I could eat her light," says Sting.

"It will still take time for you to eat it."

"Fine, you come up with something then!" bursts out Natsu. He really hates the whole 'planning' stage. It involves too much thinking.

"Couldn't we have Gray use his cage spell?" asks Wendy.

"Levy could melt it with fire."

"Freed can make the trap entail anything he wants," Natsu points out, going back to his idea. "He could make it so that Levy can't use magic or write inside of the runes." Laxus actually pauses to consider this.

"Didn't realize you could plan so far ahead, Flamebrain," notes the blonde. The pink-haired boy glares and rises from his chair, fists aflame.

"Not the time, Natsu-nii," interrupts Rogue. Reluctantly, the Fire Dragon Slayer sits back down.

"Oi, Freed," calls Laxus. The Rune mage walks over and sits next to his mate.

"Yes?"

"Could you make a rune trap for Metalhead and Levy?" The Freed's eyes narrow suspiciously.

"Why?"

"We want to approve of Levy," Natsu states bluntly.

"It's more of a familial obligation at this point, anyways," Sting throws in. "Natsu-nii and Laxus-nii-sama have been guildmates with you, Levy, and Gray for years now, and Wendy-chan and Gajeel-nii have definitely had time to know you." Freed isn't sure whether he should be annoyed or relieved.

"Why did you look so scared if you knew they would approve, then?" he asks Laxus.

"Laxus-nii-sama knew that we wouldn't just check whether you're worthy of our big brother!" Wendy says cheerfully.

"Moving off that topic," Laxus interrupts nervously. His siblings still haven't told his mate everything and he'd rather keep it that way. "Will you help us, Freed?"

"Of course," agrees the Rune mage sincerely. The other five slayers can practically hear the ' _anything_ for you, Laxus' that Freed really means.

"Great, now we just need to lure scrap metal into the trap," says Natsu.

"Easier said than done," mutters Sting. The group discreetly look up at Gajeel and Levy, only to find the pair already looking at them. They share a look and walk over.

"Before we go through the effort of bein' chased," begins Gajeel, arms crossed, "Levy wants to talk to you." The blue haired girl stands next to the Iron Dragon Slayer.

"We didn't want to be chased, so I thought we'd approach you before you had the chance," explains Levy a bit nervously. "I- I admit that Gajeel terrified me at first. I guess he terrified everyone though. He had attacked me and Jet and Droy, and suddenly he was part of the guild and seemed to have joined unwillingly. Then he let Jet and Droy attack him without even _trying_ to defend himself, and he defended me against Laxus." At this point, Levy's eyes are misty and distant, a rather sappy look on her face. Gajeel stands beside her, looking uncomfortable at the clear feelings on her face. "I love Gajeel. He's kind and sweet in his own way, and he's protective of me, but he also pushes me to get even stronger and lets me fight my own battles."

The other six slayers share a look before shrugging.

"Alright," Natsu says casually.

"Huh?" demand Gajeel and Levy in unison, having expected more from the group.

"We approve," repeats Natsu, then gains a wicked grin. "So, Levy, wanna hear about Gajeel in Draconia?" Still blinking in surprise, it takes the little blue-haired girl a bit to give her answer, which comes in the form of an eager grin and a quick nod as she slides into the seat next to Wendy. The Iron Dragon Slayer tries to slink off unnoticed, but his wrist is caught by Levy, who's still engrossed in the story Natsu tells her. Gajeel groans and tries to yank his arm away, but the Solid Script mage has a surprisingly firm grip for being so small.

"Stay, Gajeel," she orders distractedly. Reluctantly, the black-haired slayer sits next to his mate while the others grin their approval. Levy will keep her mate in line, they're sure of that now. In fact, their three honorary brothers will all be kept in line, no doubt about it. Freed won't put up with Laxus' bullshit, Gray won't let Natsu beat himself up, and Levy won't let herself be intimidated by Gajeel. Either way, they're happy.


	22. Interlude: Ivan Dreyar

Interlude: Ivan Dreyar

Ivan Dreyar has never been an easy man to please. It's nearly impossible to do so, in fact, and anyone who knows him knows this. He's proven in on multiple occasions, especially when it comes to his son. He scorns and hates those he considers weak, which is the entire population of the world but himself and maybe one or two mages here and there. Either way, there is very little one can do to please Ivan.

Being kicked out of Fairy Tail has long been a source of anger for him, while his son has long been a source of disappointment. So, for years, Ivan pays close attention to the happenings of Fairy Tail, plotting his revenge all the while. He builds up a guild of the strongest mages he can find while anger and bitterness curdle and boil inside of him.

He has little chance to follow word of his son, because the day after he's excommunicated from Fairy Tail, Laxus disappears and that's the last he hears of him for nine years. The only thing he can find on what happened to the boy is that there someone thought they saw a dragon. He can't complain if his son has been deemed strong enough to be taken by a dragon, but he's also shamed by the fact that Laxus didn't kill the creature.

For those nine years, Ivan puts his son's disappearance at the back of his mind and instead focuses on his slowly-growing guild.

Nine years later, he hears word of a blonde boy who carries the power of storms and his companion, a pink-haired child who has harnesses fire to bend to his will. Ivan's not relieved to hear word of his son, nor is he glad to find the boy alive. He's just… curious, and there's only one way to sate that curiosity.

It takes him two years of useless information to decide to find out in person where his weakling son disappeared to for nine years. He travels to Magnolia alone, listening to the constantly circulating rumors about Laxus Dreyar. Naturally, his son has rejoined Fairy Tail, which has grown weak and soft. As he approaches his old hometown, his fury grows. He hears rumors of his son entering a _relationship_ with the weak green-haired brat that had once been part of an equally weak dark guild.

It goes without saying that Ivan heavily disapproves of his son's choice in partner. Along with pretty much all of his son's choices.

His arrival at Magnolia goes unnoticed. Cloaked and aged, he looks the part of a traveler to be taken no notice of. It's surprisingly easy to get the location of Laxus' house out of the first person he comes across. Within a few minutes, Ivan finds himself outside of a plain, moderate-sized house.

He knocks.

It doesn't take long for the door to swing open and reveal Laxus, stormy blue-grey eyes curious.

"Huh? Who're-" Laxus cuts himself off as he gets a good look at the man in front of him. "Ivan."

"Is that any way to greet your father?"

"What the hell're you doing here?"

"Is it so wrong to want to see my son?"

"It is when you've hated me since I was born." Laxus' face is hard and angry as he turns to shut the door.

"You've been gone for awhile," interrupts Ivan.

"Yeah, and I've been back for two years. If you wanted to know where I was, you should've stopped by then." With that, the blonde slams the door closed, only to have its progress halted by his father's strong grip.

"I heard you were taken by a dragon. Were you so weak that you couldn't defeat it?" Lightning flashes in the doorway, hiding Laxus in blinding light. It strikes out at Ivan, but the man dodges it easily.

"'It' was more of a parent to me than you ever were."

"Poor little Laxus, so _starved_ for affection," sneers Ivan. "It's no wonder _it_ abandoned you. You're not strong, and you never have been." That old feeling of inferiority and shame curdles within Laxus' chest and he hates the fact that his father can still cause it.

"Just tell me why you're here and get the hell out of my life," he says tiredly.

"I told you. I want to know where you were."

"The hell do you care?"

"Why would a dragon take a weakling if not to eat it?"

"Maybe because she had a heart, unlike you."

"You sound bitter, Laxus." An ominous growling sound emerges from the blonde, steadily rising in volume.

"Laxus? Who's-" Freed's voice suddenly drifts out from behind Ivan. The Rune mage is staring at the two from behind Ivan, confusion clear in his blue-green eyes. The growling abruptly stops.

"Just dealing with a pest." The change in Laxus' demeanor upon the arrival of the green-haired man is instant. His tense shoulders relax, blue-grey eyes warm and affectionate while his voice is casual, as though he weren't just planning on blasting his father off the continent.

Ivan turns around to stare at the newcomer, disdain clear in his black eyes.

"I remember you. You were the one my son rescued from a dark guild."

"Is that your father?"

"Freed, what're you doing here?"

"We were going on a job today, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, got distracted by him," replies Laxus, motioning towards his father.

"Why is he here?"

"Hell if I know. He just popped up a bit ago, demandin' to know where I went." Freed moves to stand next to Laxus while Ivan's gaze closely follows him.

"This is the one I've heard you're with?" asks the black-haired man with disgust.

"Yeah."

"I suppose it makes sense. I'm sure he makes you feel strong. Why my father even allowed him into the guild I will never understand." The growling picks up again. Laxus looks positively draconic now, his eyes becoming slit-pupiled and his fangs lengthening. A scaly pattern spreads across his skin and a jagged pattern of lightning bolts appears on his face and down his neck. Freed looks at him in surprise.

"Laxus?" He's gently shoved inside the house, behind the furious blonde. A web of lightning spreads on either side of Laxus, forming a pair of electrical wings.

"Get the fuck out of my town, Ivan," snarls the Lightning Dragon Slayer. "And get the fuck out of my life while you're at it."

"Ungrateful little brat," spits Ivan. "Without me, you wouldn't even have half the strength you do now."

" _Ungrateful_?!" demands Laxus. His voice is more like a dragon's roar than a human shout now, and a shell of electricity crackles over his skin. "Why the _fuck_ should I be grateful to you? You shoved a fucking lacrima in me when I was fucking three years old! Why the fuck would I appreciate going through that? I was your _son_ , Ivan! Most parents wouldn't put their fucking child through the worst pain imaginable because they think their child is fucking weak! A fucking _dragon_ acted more like a parent than you _ever_ did! I _wasted_ half my fucking childhood doing stupid shit trying to gain your approval! There were so many times I came back bleeding and barely able to walk and you didn't give a _damn_ that I could have died!" Fierce magical pressure is exuding from the blonde Dragon Slayer, causing the house to creak and shake.

"It is no fault of mine that you were too weak to avoid injury," Ivan replies calmly.

" _Fuck_ you!"

"Even now you're weak. You hiss and spit and shout and roar like a chained beast, yet you make no move to attack me." A lightning infused fist corrects Ivan as he flies backwards, landing on his feet.

"You aint' even worth my time, Ivan," growls Laxus as he turns away. The lightning dissipates from his body, though his eyes remain slit-pupiled and his skin is still scaly.

"By the way, are you really so weak that you require my son to protect you?" Ivan casually asks Freed.

Laxus explodes. Literally. Lightning bursts out of his back, giant crackling wings returning, while the rest of him is swiftly enclosed in a crackling shell of electricity. Raw power pulses out of him with a deep, rhythmic boom. All plant life blackens and crumbles to ash as tiny shocks of lightning arc around the area. Thankfully, Freed had the foresight to put up a rune barrier to protect the house against lightning long ago, and the building manages to remain untouched.

"Don't you dare talk about him like that." Laxus' voice is calm and even, unlike his earlier roaring. "Freed is my mate and my equal, and he is _far_ more important than you ever will be. If you ever come near him or me again I swear I will kill you, _Father_."

Ivan Dreyar is afraid. It's a strange feeling to have, and it's something he's not felt since he was first witness to his father's true power. He realizes he's trembling, cowering, backing away, and his own fear scares him. Beneath that, though, is disgust. Disgust towards his son and the green-haired weakling and towards himself for being afraid in the first place.

It's sickening to watch as that powerful aura disappears beneath the Rune mage's attentions towards his son, the way the lightning shell does nothing to Freed as he tightly hugs Laxus. It's sickening to watch the way his son relaxes and allows himself to lean on his alleged 'mate' and the way his hand runs through long green strands of hair. It's sickening to watch as they both stand up straight and walk down the street together, arms brushing with every step as they talk and smile and laugh.

It's sickening as Ivan runs away.

* * *

 **A/N: So, this went in a completely different direction than I intended. I am in love with fics that have an outsider's point of view on a relationship, and I tried to make this chapter Ivan's view on Laxus and Freed. It kind of ran away from me and turned into Laxus effectively giving a giant 'fuck you' to his father. The last bit is really me trying to get this to go back in the direction I originally wanted it to go, though I'm not really sure if that was the best move.**

 **Also, the part about Laxus getting lightning wings and scales and that stuff is a tentative idea I have about Dragon Slayers and their protective instincts. Pretty much, Ivan insulted Freed and Laxus' dragon instincts kicked in and he went into a sort of protective mode. I'll probably try to expand on that in a later chapter. I'll try to get back to the Dragon Slayers checking whether the others' mates are 'worthy' soon, but I'm having issues coming up with ideas for that. I don't want it to be the same thing over and over again, so I will take suggestions on other ways that can go down. As for Wendy, I honestly don't know who to pair her with. She's so young that I don't quite ship her with anyone, but I also want her to be included in this. I'm thinking I might go with her and Chelia? Anyways, let me know what you think. Thank you and, as always, please review!**


	23. Sabertooth

Sabertooth

It was strange, being without the other Dragon Slayers who had become family to Sting and Ryos, but it also lead to a sort of familiarity. It was just the two of them and their Exceeds, with no one else in the entire world.

Their plan to return to their hometown and see if the old woman was still there had one major flaw in it: they had no clue where they were, where their old town was, or where any human civilization was. With no way to tell, they picked a direction and walked in it for days that turned into weeks. The beach they'd landed on had the misfortune of being miles away from any town, village, city, or really any human structure.

As it turned out, the direction that Sting and Ryos chose to walk in missed the first village since the beach by half a mile, and they would have kept on walking had there not been some sort of festival going on that lead to there being villagers around half a mile out in the first place.

It was there that the two Dragon Slayers got their first taste of the outside world in two years. They looked rather animalistic with their fangs and slit-pupiled eyes and the ragged length of dragon blood-crusted hair so naturally they were met with fear and distrust, even if they were only five years old. Confusion warred with hurt as the woman they met asked not _who_ they were, but _what_ they were.

It was with wariness that Sting and Ryos were allowed to stay at the village, and it was with that same wariness that their questions were answered. The only good thing that came of the meeting was the discovery of the location of their old home, Regen Town. They were eager to take their leave of the barely civil villagers and left the next day.

A month later they arrived at Regen town to a familiar downpour. Though it had only been two years, the streets and houses felt too small as they walked down the pavement together, as though they were in a model town rather than a full-sized one. It had seemed enormous when they were younger.

"It hasn't changed at all," breathed Sting as he looked around. He'd instinctively grabbed Ryos' hand as they entered the barely familiar place and was clutching it tightly. His black-haired companion squeezed his back.

The turns they took were automatic and they found themselves staring at two houses that sat side-by-side. A weeping willow with wide, low-hanging branches brushed wooden limbs against the sides of the buildings. It was in full bloom, white petals constantly fluttering through the air. In contrast, Sting and Ryos' respective houses were splintered and rotting in some places.

Across the street from the seemingly immortal tree, the old woman's garden was still a glittering jewel in the dreary grayness of Regen Town. Alight with colors and wonderful scents, it clearly hadn't been kept for awhile. It was overgrown and wild, the bright flowers heavily interspersed with dead leaves and wrinkled petals. Weeds grew untamed, choking out the rest of the garden with their overpowering presence. The bushes held the remnants of plentiful berries, overripe raspberries shrunken and colored a too-dark red while sections of them were rotting slightly. The blueberries were shriveling and the leaves had holes in them.

Despite the havoc nature had wreaked on the garden, brightly colored flowers still shown through weeds and dead leaves. The house itself was in better shape than the two across the street, but still hadn't been taken care of. With a sense of dread, Sting and Ryos walked up to the door together. Ryos knocked.

"Hello?" An aging woman with brown-threaded gray hair pulled into a tight, grandmotherly bun opened the door. It clearly wasn't the original inhabitant, but she had the same kind brown eyes as the flower woman. Sting and Ryos stood staring at her for a few seconds, not sure what to say.

"Um, could you tell us what happened to the woman who used to live here?" Sting finally asked, voice quiet. The person who stood before them examined the two carefully before her not-quite-wrinkled face broke into a warm smile.

"So you're the ones my mother told me about," she said, opening the door even wider.

"Is she here?" asked Sting.

"She died just last year," was the sad reply.

"Oh. We just wanted to visit her one last time. I guess we were too late." Sting and Ryos slowly began turning away.

"Wait!" They stopped. "My mother spoke very fondly of you. Why don't you come inside and we'll talk for a bit."

"If it won't bother you, Miss," Sting agreed slowly. The two young Dragon Slayers wandered through the door and immediately took their usual places at the table. They looked around, noting all the familiar objects- the plant and tree books, the old photograph, and the cracked tea pot. The aged woman sat across from the two, staring at them thoughtfully.

"My mother says that you two used to come here all the time, every day for months, until one day you suddenly disappeared."

"She was nice to us," said Ryos.

"Don't you take care of her garden?" burst out Sting almost accusingly. He looked stricken at his words and immediately started apologizing. The woman just laughed at that.

"No, I'm afraid that I never had my mother's skill with plants. I think I'd make it worse than it already is if I tried to work on it. She'd probably prefer for nature to take its course on it rather than have me kill it."

"How did she die?" asked Ryos. The mood immediately turned for the worse. The woman before them sighed.

"She was old, and it finally took its toll. She's buried near here, and I bring her whatever flowers I can find from the garden every day. During the winter, I go out and buy some."

"We didn't get to say goodbye," said Sting, staring fiercely at the table top.

"She told me all about you during her last few days. She said that you were sweet and polite, and she wished she could have taken you away from those monsters across the street. She always wanted to give you something, but she never got the chance. You disappeared the very same day she bought these for you." The woman held out two packages, one to each boy. Ryos unwrapped his slowly and pulled out a dark katana. He looked in confusion at the weapon, not sure why the old woman would have bought him a sword. A note was attached to the hilt.

 _Ryos,_

 _You're probably confused about this gift, understandably._

 _I give you a sword not for its use in battle, but for its symbolism._

 _You are strong, fierce, and courageous, far more than you seem to realize._

 _Don't think I see less than I really do- I know what those monsters you two live with_

 _are doing to you, and I know your conflict. You and Sting will leave this place_

 _someday and hopefully soon. I assume that it's Sting holding you back._

 _The sword can symbolize many things, but I give this to you with_

 _unity and balance in mind. You are Sting's balance, as he is yours._

 _Remember to depend on him._

 _~Hana_

The Shadow Dragon Slayer silently passed the paper to Sting, who slowly scanned it.

"Hana?" said Sting questioningly.

"That was her name. Hana," explained the aging woman.

"Fitting," muttered the blonde as he wrestled with his package. It was significantly smaller than Ryos' and held a small, column-shaped gem, light golden-yellow in color and wrapped several times over in a note. The blonde boy carefully unwrapped the note from the gem.

 _Sting,_

 _This gem is an imperial topaz, something that symbolizes_

 _and is said to do many things, not least of which_

 _is bring happiness to the owner. As I told Ryos, I know_

 _exactly what those monsters you two live with do to you._

 _It is said that often those with the happiest smile are_

 _the saddest inside, and I see that to be the truth with you._

 _I hope that this gift will bring you all the happiness in the world._

 _You deserve it._

 _It's also said to help one to stay calm and think straight,_

 _a quality I'm fairly sure you could use._

 _My final reason for giving this to you is that the imperial topaz_

 _is said to assist one in achieving their goals._

 _You're capable of far more than you know, Sting, and you_

 _can do the impossible so long as you have Ryos with you._

 _Remember that not only is he your strength, you're his strength too._

 _Keep him close._

 _~Hana_

As Ryos had done, the White Dragon Slayer passed the note to his best friend. Red eyes scanned it quickly.

"Did she have any magic, Miss?" asked Sting curiously. The woman across from the two shrugged.

"Not that I ever heard of, but she always seemed to know things about people. She once worked as a fortune-teller when she was much younger."

"Thank you for giving these to us, Miss. We're sorry that we couldn't have said goodbye to her," Sting said softly.

"Why don't you stay the night and leave tomorrow? I should think you both would like the chance to wash and sleep in a real bed," offered the woman. When the two hesitated she added, "I may not have had my mother's skill with plants, but I've been told I'm an excellent cook." Sting and Ryos quickly relented.

The woman baked a raspberry pie, just like the one Sting and Ryos had the day they left. With the crust hot and the filling scalding, the two had time to bathe and let years of dirt swirl away beneath steaming water. After they'd washed, the pie was cool enough to eat and lasted only minutes.

They slept in the guest room, sharing a bed that was barely big enough to fit the both of them. It felt natural, though, for them to curl up together and take comfort in the fact that the other was right beside them.

Sting and Ryos woke early the next morning, before the woman was awake. Leaving a note thanking her and saying goodbye, the two slipped out of the house and across the street. Here they reluctantly separated and nervously entered their respective houses. Their fathers were demons they needed to face alone.

No one lived in those two houses anymore. It was dark inside and void of any personal items, while what little furniture remained was covered in dust and cobwebs. Sting and Ryos weren't sure if it was better or worse for them to not have to go face-to-face with their parents. Either way, they didn't have any reason to spend any more time in Regen Town.

They left just after the sun fully shone its face in the sky.

The two wandered aimlessly for months afterwards with no clue where they were going. They didn't stay long in the towns, villages, and cities they stopped in. They followed rumors- rumors of flying lizards, rumors of great reptilian beasts, rumors of a girl who had the power to heal any wound, cure any ailment, rumors of a wild man who could chew through solid metal.

When all of those rumors led to nothing- wyverns, lizardmen, a fraud, another fraud, they found themselves following a scent on the wind. It was a familiar mix of smells, sweet and light and floral. It took just a few days for Sting and Ryos to end up in a bustling city full of people and full of flowers. Vines attached themselves to building roofs and elegantly crept down walls. Gardens were at every turn, while pots of flowers adorned every doorway. Garlands twined down lampposts and even hung between buildings. The sweet scent of flowers filled the air, and the sun shone brightly overhead.

It reminded Sting and Ryos of home- both Draconia and that old woman's house. Here, surrounded by the precious jewels they had once beheld in Regen Town, they felt at home. It was a simple matter to get the city name out of a passing stranger. Crocus, the Flower Blooming Capital of Fiore, home to Mercurius, the Fioran King's palace.

Here was somewhere they could live. Crocus- that delicate purple-and-white flower that came back every year and survived the beginnings of snow. It brought back memories of the first time Sting and Ryos ventured into the old woman's garden.

"Ryos?" said Sting.

"Yeah?"

"Let's stay here."

"Okay." Like that, it was decided. This would be their new home, surrounded by people who didn't fear their feral looks and the jewel-bright flowers everywhere.

There was still plenty of light out, so the two took their time exploring every nook and cranny of this wonderful place they could. As night fell, they found themselves outside of a rather menacing building. Pyramidal and elaborate, towers and pillars protruded from various areas of the odd mass of buildings. A massive cat with elongated front teeth crouched on top of the structure.

Sting and Ryos had apparently managed to wander just outside of Crocus where there was apparently a second, smaller town whose border mingled heavily with that of Crocus's. The structure they stood before loomed over them, but also oozed strength and power.

Tired enough that they didn't want to find somewhere else to stay, Sting and Ryos hesitantly approached what they thought might be the main door to the place. Sting's quiet knock somehow vibrated through the entire door and turned a soft tap into a thundering pound. It swung open to reveal an intimidating man with a head that seemed a bit too small for his massive body. This effect was increased by a choker made of beads that were at least half the size of his head resting around his neck. He glared down at them with narrowed eyes.

"Who're you brats?" he demanded, voice rumbling high above the two Dragon Slayers.

"I'm Sting and that R-" began Sting before being cut off by his dark-haired companion.

"Rogue." The blonde sent him a questioning look. He sent a look back that said he'd explain later.

"Do you expect to be able to join Sabertooth? Fairy Tail might be yet stronger, but we will surpass them," said the man.

"Yes," replied Sting simply. Rogue nodded beside him.

"Why do you expect me to allow you in?"

"I'm a White Dragon Slayer. Ry- Rogue is a Shadow Dragon Slayer." When the man looked unimpressed, Sting pressed on. "We killed the dragons we taught us with their own magic," he added proudly. In the months that he and Rogue had wandered, they'd come to terms with those terrible fights and finally concluded that it should be a source of pride, not shame. Their dragons trusted them to be able to kill them, and they fulfilled that trust.

Sting's words managed to spark surprise in the man's eyes.

"I am Jiemma, master of Sabertooth. I will allow you one week in my guild and if you do not prove yourselves worthy, if I find that you've lied about killing dragons, I will not simply remove you from this guild. I will kill you."

"Yes, sir." Sting met the much taller man's eyes, squarely and calmly. Jiemma stood back and allowed the two to enter.

"These are Sting and Ryos, Dragon Slayers who claim to have killed the dragons who taught them," he roared. "Test them at your leisure." With that, he walked away, leaving the two five-year-olds under the scrutiny of almost thirty other mages. Miraculously, they were left alone and led to a place they could sleep, and sleep they did.

"Ryos?" whispered Sting through the darkness.

"Yeah?"

"We'll get stronger, won't we?"

"Yeah."

"Good." With that, the two slept.

* * *

 **A/N: To be honest, I'm not hugely happy with this. I had a very hard time writing it and just wanted to finish it, which I'm pretty sure is reflected. Please note this though: Until I actually bothered to look it up, I honestly thought that Sabertooth's guildhall was in Crocus, not somwhere else. Therefore, I've made it so it's just barely outside of Crocus to make up for that slip-up. Like the guildhall, I didn't realize that Jiemma wasn't the master back in X777- apparently it was some unnamed mage, so I've taken creative liberties and said that Jiemma has been the guildmaster of Sabertooth for awhile. Thank you and, as always, please review!**


	24. I Still Remember Them (Covered in Ash)

I Still Remember Them (Covered In Ash)

On December 16, X784, over half of the only Dragon Slayers in the world are lost to the destruction of the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse. Seven years lost while the world moves on around them. It barely takes a day for the new of Fairy Tail's core members disappearing to spread all the way across Fiore, reaching the ears of the (not quite yet famed) Twin Dragon Slayers.

It's not officially publicized, but almost everyone on the continent is gossiping about it, mutters and whispers filling every street. It's on the streets of Crocus, surrounded by noise and the subtle, sweet smell of flowers that Sting and Ryos, now known as Rogue, catch the tail end of a conversation.

"-Tail isn't the most powerful guild anymore!" someone is nearly shouting to be heard by their companion. Sting immediately goes up to them.

"Excuse me, Miss, what's happened with Fairy Tail?" he asks politely. The woman who had been talking is eager to spread the new.

"Fairy Tail's core members are all lost! Twenty-one members, gone! No one knows what happened to them!" With that, the woman and her companion walk away, chattering excitedly between themselves. Sting and Rogue stand there, panic rising in them.

"Rogue," begins Sting, blue eyes wide as he turns to meet Rogue's red ones. "If it's the core members, that means..." He trails off, unable to say it aloud.

"They're… gone? Gajeel and Natsu and Wendy and Laxus?" Rogue's eyes are just as wide. They turn around and run frantically back to the Sabertooth guildhall, unknowingly linking hands as they run. Jiemma is in his throne, as always, and they approach him with their heads bowed respectfully.

"Master Jiemma," begins Sting. The only acknowledgement he gets is a slight shift in positions. "Rogue and I would like to travel to Fairy Tail to investigate rumors of their core members disappearing." At this, Jiemma perks up, white eyes glinting in interest.

"So the fairies fall from grace, do they?" he mutters to himself. "Go. Report back to me on this matter and then we'll decide what to do from there with the remains of that weakling guild." Without pausing, Sting and Rogue turn, call their Exceeds, and without packing anything, begin the long journey to Magnolia.

Two weeks later, they stand on the hillside overlooking the grand Cardia Cathedral and the other iconic building, Fairy Tail's massive stone guildhall. Turning to glance at one another, the White and Shadow Dragon Slayers make their way down the hill. When they arrive, the Fairy Tail guildhall is almost unrecognizable. The remaining members are desolate and miserable. Few heads glance up at their entrance.

"They're gone, if that's what you're here to know," says a man with short, slicked back blue-black hair, looking as though he has the weight of the entire world on his shoulders.

"Natsu-nii?" whispers Sting.

"And Gajeel-nii?"adds Rogue. Their eyes are heartbroken.

"All of them," says the man quietly. "Natsu, Wendy, Laxus, Gajeel, their Exceeds, their mates, Erza, Makarov, the Rajinshuu, the Strausses, Gildartz, Cana, Juvia, Lucy, gone. They were on Tenrou Island, and even that's gone. No one knows what's happened."

Sting and Rogue nearly break. Frosh and Lector try their hardest, but neither of them can really comfort their friends, especially when they, too, are grieving.

"We- we need to tell Cobra-nii-san," chokes out Sting. "He should know." Just before they leave, Rogue seems to remember something. He turns to the dark-haired man.

"If you need help, we live near Crocus, in the Sabertooth guildhall. Find us there and we'll do whatever we can," he says softly.

"Thank you Rogue, Sting," says the man. "I'm Macao Conbolt, by the way. Acting Master of Fairy Tail." The last part is spit out bitterly. He doesn't want the position any more than anyone else. The Twin Dragon Slayers don't reply, just quietly leave. They don't take a vehicle to the Magic Council, choosing to simply walk and remenisce. Something changes between them in that time as they share their grief. It's like a singer's note being just barely off, enough to be jarring without the listener quite realizing it, being fixed with a minute change in tone, fixing something that no one even realized needed fixing.

It's a slow progression, tiny changes in actions, a slight increased awareness of the other's position, a hint of foresight into what the other will do. They build up until it's glaringly obvious what it is, even though it's supposed to be six years before it happens.

Sting and Rogue are mates. Rather change that perfect synchronicity between them, it fine-tunes it, and despite having been closer than siblings, closer than friends, despite the dynamic between them having been incredibly akin to that of a couple married for eighty years, they don't acknowledge what niggles at the edge of their minds.

It's partly due to their grief and their worry for how Cobra will take the news, and partly because they're afraid of the drastic, yet subtle, change. Either way, there's a slight awkwardness between them that wasn't there before, a jarring note out of place in their otherwise perfect harmony, as they approach the magnificent structure that is the Magic Council building. They easily gain access to the prisons so they can talk to Cobra. The guards remember the last time they took away the surprisingly popular prisoner, and hold a vague trust.

Cobra in prison is still a surprising sight. He holds a mellow acceptance that wasn't there before and the fierce drive he once held was far more contained than it was before. He seems comfortable in prison, almost as at home as he was in Draconia. It's not quite the Cobra they knew, he seems more like himself than they've ever seen. His new serenity, though, is tinged with bitterness and suspicion, a painful throwback to when he still hadn't quite trusted the others.

Cobra looks up with curious purple eyes as his two honorary brothers approach. It's disconcerting, being unable to hear them and their thoughts the moment they entered the Magic Council building, but it's also a relief to not have that near-painful jumble of voices clutter his head.

He may not be able to hear their thoughts, but it's obvious something is terribly wrong and he has a welling suspicion of what it is.

"Cobra-nii-san..." Sting begins and trails off, looking down.

"The others. Natsu, Gajeel, Laxus, and Wendy. Where are they?" Cobra asks with quiet panic. Usually he's visited by all five of them at once.

"No one knows," bursts out Rogue. He's crying, Cobra belated realizes, an unusual sight. Sting is too.

"They're gone." It's said with more firmness than Cobra had thought his voice could hold.

"Fairy Tail was having their S-class promotion test, and they were on the guild island. It's gone, along with them, and no one knows what _happened_." It's with a fierce fury that Sting explains, a fury that Cobra and Rogue mirror.

"So we're..." Cobra realizes with a jolt that he's crying and his voice is cracking. The unfamiliar warmth of tears travels down his cheeks and he can taste salt.

"We're the last Dragon Slayers," finishes Rogue with his quiet voice.

"We figured you should know," explains Sting. Cobra doesn't reply, curling slightly in on himself and hunching over. He barely notices when his two honorary brothers leave him to his grief, and he realizes that he's glad to be alone. He roars his grief and rage and when his breath runs out, he roars again. It's not the dragon's battle-roar that Natsu had defeated him with, it's the keening roar of a grieving dragon. Distantly, he hears two answering cries.

Sting and Rogue leave the Magic Council building leaning on each other for support. They want to collapse. They want to scream. They want to fight something. They want their siblings back.

They take a week to recover themseves at least to the point where they don't quite look like they're grieving. The last thing they need is to be kicked out of Sabertooth by a furious Jiemma for 'siding with their rival guild.'

In the end, they're forced to go on with their lives as usual, as though they aren't mourning the loss of the mages they love like siblings. In the meanwhile they focus themselves on doing jobs and ignoring the gentle, constant call of their mating bond. They're twelve years old, and they don't need to add anything else to their relationship, especially not romantic love. That can wait a few years, they think.

* * *

 **A/N: I am so sorry about my absence. School started and I got overwhelmed with work, and also lost a lot of inspiration for writing. I'll try to update this more regularly again, but I still don't have a lot of inspiration. As it is, I had a lot of trouble getting this chapter out, which I think shows towards the end. Again, I am so sorry for not updating in so long. I swear, I will try my hardest not to abandon this story. Thank you and, as always, please read and review!  
**


	25. Stay With Me Awhile

Stay With Me Awhile

It's difficult to determine when it started. Not their friendship, that was easy, but falling in love. That happened all of a sudden and all at once, snuck up on them and ran screaming towards them. None of the guild is quite sure either, not even any of Natsu's closest friends, or his honorary siblings.

Laxus would say it was the moment they locked eyes. He'd not be saying it as a romanticist, but like it's a fact that the entire world should know and maybe it would be. Lucy would say it was when Team Natsu was formed, when they were forced not to fight constantly. She'd be wrong, but she's only joined recently. She never got the chance to see them when they first met, all fierce passion and desperate fury as their fists fly and they hurl insults at each other. Anyone who knew them at the time would say they didn't need to fall in love because they always had been. Lucy's still not sure what the other mages mean by that. As much of a romanticist she is, she really knows little about love.

Natsu and Gray wouldn't say anything on the matter, just glare and glower and turn the conversation to another topic or if that fails, turn it to a fight. They've always been good at that, and maybe that's why they're mates.

* * *

Although Natsu is old enough to go through the odd discomfort of mating instincts he never does, a source of confusement for Laxus and a source of relief for Natsu, but only outwardly. At heart, the Fire Dragon Slayer craves the affection he never got when he was far too young and lost when Igneel left him. The idea of having a mate, the one person he's meant to be with who will fit with him perfectly is an odd sort of comfort to Natsu as he hides the vulnerability he only stops feeling around his honorary siblings and when he fights (and with Gray, though he'll deny it to the end of the world and the end of time).

As it is, the relief Natsu feels is paired with disappointment and a deep-seated sense of _not good enough_ that he can't bring himself to admit to and can't bring himself to ignore. At the very heart of the matter, Natsu has even more self-worth issues than Laxus, stemming from his parents, from Igneel, and, most recently, not going through the process of finding his mate. The guild members who were there when Laxus went through the instinct know that Natsu should go through it soon and every single one of them is sure that it'll be Gray, aside from the mages in question. Laxus had seen it the day Natsu and Gray met, and so had most of the others. It had been obvious in a not-so-obvious way, an observation that came with the clash of fire and ice, the locking of ice-blue and forest-green eyes, and the near-thunderous impact of fist and flesh.

So, as Natsu's eighteenth birthday comes and goes and a month passes, then another and another and he brings Lucy and he still doesn't fall under the effects, people assume that he and Gray have already accepted each other in secret. Less than a month passes, and the guild members realize that Natsu and Gray don't act anywhere near like Laxus and Freed do, and it's such a drastic difference that it can't be passed off for them being different people.

It's around then that Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Erza come back from the S-class mission they weren't supposed to be on and things start changing.

The first thing Natsu does upon their return is drag Laxus upstairs where they can talk in private, shooting a brief apology to Freed for taking away his mate and a look to everyone else that says not to disturb them. Enough incidents that result in fire and lightning burns have occurred that the guild knows not to interrupt private conversations between the two Dragon Slayers. Even Gray respects that.

"What is it Natsu?" Laxus asks rather wearily, half-bracing himself for an explosion from his honorary younger brother.

"You've always loved Freed, right?" Natsu's question is surprising enough that Laxus doesn't speak for awhile. Just as the Fire Dragon Slayers seems ready to dart, he opens his mouth.

"Yeah. The moment we met, I think. Why?"

"Imayormaynotkindasortabemaybeabitinlovewithgray," bursts out Natsu in one breath, speaking quickly and stumbling over his swift-spoken words almost to the point of incomprehensibility. Laxus is fairly sure he gets the gist of what the younger boy has just said, but he has to double check.

"Try sayin' that again at a normal pace, Natsu."

"I… may-or-may-not… kinda-sort be _maybe_ a… bit-in-love-with-Gray?" grits out Natsu as thought the words physically hurt him to say. It turns into a question at the end, and his fists are tightly clenched.

"That's what I thought. You only just realized?" asks Laxus casually. Natsu's eyes widen and he goes through his usual routine of spluttering, fist-waving, fire-breathing outrage. Laxus calmly waits it out.

"The entire guild knows, don't they." Although phrased as a question, Natsu isn't as stupid as he seems or acts and he knows the answer before Laxus' nod.

"Gray doesn't, but the rest have guessed. They've been placin' bets on you since the day you two met, I'm fairly sure." It's possibly the first time Natsu has ever been speechless.

"Oh," he finally says.

"How'd you figure it out?" Laxus asks as the pink-haired mage stands. Forest green meets electric blue.

"I changed his mind," Natsu says, and leaves. Laxus remains sitting there for a long while before a slow grin spreads over his face as he realizes what his honorary brother means. He goes downstairs to reclaim his seat next to Freed and quietly recounts his conversation to his mate.

Unsurprisingly, Natsu doesn't do anything upon his realization, though there are quite a few occasions where he can be seen staring at Gray, oftentimes with something akin to desperation. During those times, Natsu flashes back to quite possibly the most terrifying moment of his life. He can't get the image of Gray standing there, arms outstretched and crossed before him in that terrible 'x' shape, stance wide, eyes full of desperate fury. It had been during that exact moment that he'd realized he's in love with his rival and best friend. He's oddly okay with that.

Residual panic, complete and utter and absolute _panic_ still fills him whenever his mind flashes back to that torturous moment where his _bestfriendmaterivalmostimportantpersoninthegoddamnedworld_ is about to willingly die and he can't stand the thought and all that runs throug his mind is the singular thought, mantra almost, of _save Gray save Gray saveGray saveGraysaveGraysaveGraysaveGray_ , and he's about to lose the person who might mean more to him than his siblings, more to him than _Igneel_ , and he's almost too late to stop it.

He might have lost his _everything_ and that is unacceptable.

He's still pondering on this sudden, fierce protectiveness and realizes it's always been there, hidden, in the background, and he's always known on some level that he loves Gray and he thinks he might have since he met the odd boy who strips mid battle and is as emotionally stunted as him and loves to fight and is quite possibly the best goddamned sparring partner he's ever had and, most importantly, holds a deep and unrelenting passion to match his own. Maybe that's why he never went through the mating instinct because he knew on some level. He _knew_. Laxus had never fully realized that he loved Freed, and had never fully accepted that Freed had always been rather desperately in love with him until that day. Natsu does and he thinks he always has.

He stands and sends Laxus a meaningful look before quietly slipping out the guild hall doors and down to the riverside where he waits. For once, Laxus appears to have been able to properly read silent messages because he sees Gray approaching him a few minutes later, a question clear in those dark blue eyes.

"Laxus said you'd be here," says the Ice mage as he casually comes to a stop, unaware of the fact that he's shirtless. Natsu realizes suddenly that it's never bothered him or even come close to affecting him. It's just another odd quirk of his best friend slash rival.

"Yeah, I-" Natsu pauses for a second here, unsure of how to put everything that's run through his head into words. It's all overly sappy things he's not even close to comfortable with saying, yet seem right as they run through his head. His turmoil must show in his eyes because Gray stands and waits patiently for him to speak rather than make fun of him or start a fight as he would normally do.

Actions speak louder than words. The saying runs through Natsu's head as he searches for words he can't say until he realizes that he's inches away from Gray. They're about the same height, almost eye level and not quite chest-to-chest. Rather than force awkward syllables over his tongue, Natsu takes a small step forward and hugs Gray in a loose, yet firm, embrace, face buried in the crook of the other's neck. Every muscle in his body relaxes until he's practically hanging off of the black-haired boy. Hesitant arms return the hug.

"You know," Natsu mumbles into Gray's neck before pulling back so they can look at each other.

"Yeah."

And those three words speak volumes more than any heartfelt confessions could. Everything they're not saying aloud floats in the air and is silently whispered as a gentle tickle in their minds alongside the three words they might never say in so many words. _I love you_.

* * *

 **A/N: Title for this chapter is from Harvest by Opeth. Title for the last chapter (which I forgot to say) was The Only Hope For Me Is You by My Chemial Romance. This chapter is in a bit of a different style than previous chapters, I think. I wrote it right after I read a _beautiful_ Bagginshield fic over on Ao3 (green and gilded by nasri) and their incredible writing kind of influenced the style of this chapter. I'm not sure if it's that different but if it is and you guys like it, let me know and I'll try to write more in this style. Overall, I'm pretty happy with this chapter. I think I got the dynamic between Gray and Natsu alright, so let me know what you think. Thank you and, as always, read and review!**


	26. Black And White (Are All I See)

Black And White (Are All I See)

Rogue and Sting have known it was coming for years, ever since they heard about it from Astrapi, and they've felt it ever since they heard the news about their honorary siblings. They ignore it, not because of fear but because of contentment. They've been friends practically since they were born, and they've been through everything together. Nothing can tear them apart as friends, and they don't really need much more than that. The feeling of dullness from their mating instincts has long since died down. They never really needed to accept it like Laxus did, nor did they know deep down like Natsu did. They're best friends and that's all they've ever wanted to be. They're thirteen, barely into adolescence, and they would still prefer a good friend over a lover and really, what more do they need?

They go on as they always have gone, never really acknowledging the bond between them and vaguely keeping in mind that Astrapi had said that mating didn't necessarily have to be romantic. They suppose that it might change in later years, but they're content to move along as they always have: side by side and facing everything as a single unit.

A year passes and nothing changes between them, then another year and another and suddenly it's been six years since the disappearance of their honorary siblings. It's still painful, almost moreso than the disappearance of their draconic parents. Fairy Tail, as they quickly find out, is in complete shambles but they can't give out their help publically, and they won't interfere unless they're directly asked. They respect their siblings' former guildmates too much for that. So, they listen and live and do jobs and hear about Blue Pegasus' assistance of Fairy Tail, and they continue to hear that the missing Fairy Tail members will probably never return. It's a hard thing to accept.

Everything changes that sixth year.

* * *

It begins with Rogue finding himself staring at Sting just a bit too long. They're sitting together by the river as they're prone to do, laying in the sunshine next to each other. Sting has his head resting in Rogue's lap, ice-blue eyes closed to the bright light. They're a study in contrast, pale blond hair spread across black cloth, short, tight vest and loose billowing robes, reserved, mellow countenance and bright cheer. They don't speak, just enjoy the relative silence and savor their solitude away from the rest of their guild members.

Rogue looks down, studying the angles in Sting's face, the stubborness of his chin compared to the soft fullness of his lip, the gentle fan of pale eyelashes on pale skin, the faint line of the scar by his eyes. He's seen the blonde's face a million times, but he feels as though he's never seen it before and he can't study the slope of his forehead, the gentle crease of his eyes, the smooth turn of his nose, or the sharpness of the bones enough. He wants to memorize every line and shadow of blonde, and then memorize it again and again.

Blue meets his gaze and he studies that too, the draconic pupil surrounded by a pinprick of ice blue filled with a million different shades of light blue he has no name for. They're calm, for once, a serenity rarely seen softening the blue and drooping his lids slightly. With a start, Rogue realizes that Sting is staring straight back at him, a question in his gaze.

"Rogue? You're thinking something," says the blonde quietly, sleepily.

"I'm memorizing," replies Rogue, and he can say that openly because it's Sting. He gets a faint smile for that before the blue is hidden yet again.

"I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to memorize when I'm right here in front of you."

"We thought that with the others. Long ago, back on Draconia, we thought we'd never part and now they're all gone." There's not much emotion in Rogue's voice as he says it, just a slight melancholy that only Sting or the others would be able to detect. Blue blinks open again, and the blonde shifts so he's sitting up and meeting Rogue's red gaze evenly.

"We are _never_ going to be apart. _Ever_ ," he says seriously, conviction in every sound.

"You can't promise that."

"I will never let it happen. I can't lose you. No matter what, we're never going to be farther a city apart."

"You can't control everything though," Rogue protests.

"We are _never_ going to be apart. _Ever_ ," repeats Sting firmly, and somehow Rogue believes him.

"Okay," he says simply. Sting lays back down but keeps his gaze firmly fixed on Rogue's face.

"What are you doing?" asks Rogue.

"Memorizing."

* * *

It also begins with Sting finding himself staring at Rogue for far too long. He wakes up in the middle of the night to an empty room with a jolt of panic. Rogue is nowhere to be seen, but Frosch is sleeping soundly at the foot of an empty bed.

Sting slips out of the room quietly, careful not to disturb Lector, and immediately heads for the river where he's fairly sure Rogue can be found. He stops a few feet away at the sight of his friend lit by starlight and moonlight, pale skin even paler washed in silver-white, but also almost glowing. He's still mostly part-shadow, despite the full moon and the array of stars above, a dark form on a dark ground. His too-long hair is back from his face for once, and Sting can see the angles of his friend's face, a sight he used to see all the time but now a rare gift.

He looks _beautiful_ in that moment, and slightly ethereal. Sting's breath catches in his throat and stops altogether as he looks at the ghostly form of his best friend. At night, in the shadows and half-shadows, that is Rogue's domain and _god_ does it suit him.

Sting's not sure how long he spends staring at the sight layed out before him, but his observations are broken by a glint of red meeting his gaze and pale lips forming words.

"How long have you been standing there?" asks Rogue. Sting blinks slightly, broken out of his revery.

"Not long," he lies. "I figured you'd be out here when you weren't in the room."

"Did I wake you?"

"No," Sting lies again. "Want some company?" Rogue shakes his head and stands.

"I was about to go back in."

"Why were you up in the first place?" Red eyes study his face yet again. It's been happening more and more often in the few days that have passed since the moment by the river.

"Memories. Thoughts. Fears," is the simply answer. "Why were you up?" Sting pauses for a second, not quite sure why he _had_ woken up.

"Because you weren't there," he finally settles on. There's understanding in the familiar red gaze and they walk back inside together.

* * *

Rogue is scared. He and Sting had agreed not to change anything between them because of the bond, but he finds himself unable to tear his gaze away from the blonde. Something in his chest pulls whenever he watches the way his friend laughs or smiles or relaxes or moves or just _exists_ , vibrant and full of vitality. He's always been content to be the silent shadow at the blonde's side, a constant, easily forgotten companion, and he finds himself wanting to stand away in the sidelines and study every single minute detail of Sting.

It terrifies him. He wants to remain in that familiar world of friendship, where they're the only ones in the world and the other is all that matters, but at the same time he doesn't want that anymore. He wants to be the one who takes up all of Sting's time, even though he already does, but he wants to fulfill all aspects of Sting's life, mean everything to the blonde the same way Sting does to him. It's selfish and awkward and unfamiliar and thrilling and terrifying and he almost-but-not-quite hates it.

He sits and watches and admires and all the while he fears Sting's hatred, fears Sting finding out. He slips out of their room late at night to admire the wavering reflection of clouds and stars and midnight blue in the river that's just barely calm enough to have recognizable images. There something beautiful in the way it shatteres everything in the night sky with its simply rushing motion, and there's something soothing about the constant rush of water filling his ears and the cool night air pressing against sleep-warm skin.

He knows that Sting watches him while he sits there. Ever aware of the blonde's presene, Rogue can feel the gentle weight of that ice-blue gaze scanning him and his face again and again, can see the faint glimpse of silver-washed gold out of the corner of his eye and smell the clear scent of ice and distant mountains that always surrounds the blonde mingling in with Crocus's every-present floral scents. In those silent, fragile moments so easily broken by the slightest twitch of hand, Rogue can almost pretend that Sting feels the same way as him. Then his gaze shifts minutely or he barely moves or his breathing is off and the idea is as shattered as the sky in the water.

* * *

Sting is falling for Rogue and he knows it. It's a thrilling feeling of falling and floating, excitement and calm, fear and safety, unfamiliarity and comfort. It creeps up on him while he knows it's inevitably coming and it's an odd, distant sensation that terrifies him. He wants to run away and never look at Rogue again to keep from spewing out confessions he doubts would be received very well but he can never leave Rogue, not ever. Not only has he promised, but the mere thought of not knowing where Rogue is, even if it's just what part of the city he's in, is enough to send Sting straight into a panic attack that makes him instinctively search for Rogue, whether by touch or by sight or smell or hearing.

It grants him a surprised look that also has some level of understanding, he knows, because Rogue does it too. They have always been together and they _have_ to always be together. To part unwillingly, without knowing where the other is is incomprehensible and completely unacceptable. Sting supposes it's the dragon in him that snarls silently that Rogue is _his_ , and his alone, and no one else can have him. It's an oddly possessive thought that both scares Sting and feels right.

No matter what, though, he cannot ever tell Rogue. Even the vaguest possibility of losing Rogue is completely unacceptable and Sting is sure that to tell his dark-haired other half of the drastic change in feelings towards the idea of being romantically together is to lose him. So he waits. He watches and stares and admires and his heart aches with the sudden amount of _love_ he realizes he holds for Rogue, and not the familial kind.

Sting is a social person. He's always been the more outgoing between him and Rogue, often the spokesperson for both of them, the one who always wants to meet new people and see new places. Rogue has always been the type to be content with the friends he has in the place he's in. That, of course, never held true for Regen Town, but it did for Draconia and it does for Crocus. Sting's socialness, however, has always been tempered by the one fact that has always held true for both him and Rogue: there is no room for anyone else. That fact was completely scrapped on Draconia, but with Cobra in prison and the rest of the Dragon Slayers gone ( _gone_ not _dead_ ), the exception is no longer applicable. Past their honorary siblings, Sting and Rogue will never have friends other than each other. It's a fact of their lives, and it has always tempered Sting's propensity for socialness.

With Rogue beside him, which Rogue always is, the idea of having any other friends is inconceivable. Sting cannot imagine a world where Rogue is not beside him, and he cannot imagine a world where Rogue is not the only one beside him, their honorary siblings continuing to be the only exceptions. Even when Rogue is not beside him, which is very, very rare, he, along with the rest of the Dragon Slayers, is the only one in the world who is important.

With his newfound feelings for the Shadow Dragon Slayer, people are dull and boring in comparison to the quiet humor of Rogue, the soft melancholy of Rogue, the reserved yet incredibly open to those who know him personality of Rogue. They've always paled in comparison to his dark haired companion, but it seems even more pronounced a difference and Sting never wants to talk with anyone but Rogue, his honorary siblings, and the dragons again. All but two of those options are out of the question now, and one of them is a hassle. That leaves Rogue, as always. Sting never wants to talk with anyone but Rogue again, and he wants to be the one to sit back in the shadows and memorize every detail of Rogue again and again, every day.

Somehow such passionate, wholehearted devotion and love and emotion feels as though something's not right. Sting is fairly sure that most relationships don't involve such self-imposed isolation for the couple. He and Rogue are each other's world. The entirety of it. Nothing exists past them and their honorary siblings and, on Draconia, the dragons. It's overwhelming and far too intense for it to be healthy, and they're far too co-dependent to be healthy. Still, it feels _right_ to be like that.

Sting doubts it will ever change.

* * *

Sting and Rogue are out in Crocus as they're prone to be. They walk side by side, talking in quiet voices, easily picking out their words despite the rumble of the crowd. They're not really going anywhere in specific, just enjoying the sweet scent of flowers that constantly permeate the air. It always brings back memories of the old woman and her verdant garden providing the only color in their dreary hometown.

A woman is standing on the side of the street, carrying a basket of the most vibrantly colored roses they've ever seen. The blossoms are palm-sized, colored deep scarlet, gentle pink, flawless white, petals velvety and soft-looking. Sting is drawn to them by their scent first, subtly leading Rogue through the streets until they stand before the vendor. Sting is the one to walk up to her.

"Do you grow those yourself?" he asks. She looks up at him and smiles.

"Yes, I have a garden on the edge of the city. But to answer your real question, I have magic with plants, as you've probably guessed. Do you want one?" Sting looks at the array of colors she holds in her arms. There are a few black roses that Sting is fairly sure isn't a natural color, but he thinks they fit Rogue. He lifts one delicately and inhales the sweet scent. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Rogue looking around a bit impatiently. He turns back to the woman and shows her the rose.

"Death?" she asks, brow furrowed. "You and that black-haired boy look happy together."

"Rogue? We're not – we're just friends," he quickly replies.

"Oh, you just looked so close, I thought–" she begins, trailing off as she looks behind him. He turns, and Rogue is standing there staring curiously at the basket of roses.

"These… these smell like the old woman's garden." He brushes a finger against a petal gently. He turns and catches sight of the black rose in Sting's hand. "Who is that for?" he asks. Sting quickly turns to the woman and hands her some jewels.

"I thought so too," he says before thrusting the rose at Rogue. The Shadow Dragon Slayer takes it between careful fingers and inhales deeply, looking at Sting with soft, warm eyes that the blonde can almost pretend are those of someone looking at the love of their life.

"Thank you," he says softly as they walk off together, Rogue twirling the thornless stem between his fingers as thought in deep thought.

As they walk back to their apartment, Rogue considers the velvety black rose in his hand. A lover's gift in his color from his best friend. He's reading too much into it, he's sure, but he can't ignore what little he remembers of flower symbolism. The woman had taught them about it, long ago, but now all he retains are half-remembered fragments and a few full phrases – _"Zinnia is for mourning" "Crocus- youthful gladness." "Daffodil- it's one of my favorite spring flowers._ _N_ _ew beginnings, one of the first flow_ _ers_ _of..._ _"_

Rogue stumbles across a full memory, one he can recall clearly. It had struck a chord in him at the time, eating hot blueberry pie while the rain pattering the window provided background to the old woman's lesson.

 _*Flashback*_

" _Roses- overrated in my opinion._ _I never needed flowery words to know whether my husband cared, and he knew it. An agapanthus was enough of a love letter for me, maybe bunched in with alyssums and baby's breath, and it was far better than the biggest diamond ring in the world. Still, roses are important," begins the woman, spreading out an array of flowers she's organizing into bouquets while Sting and Ryos enjoy feeling of hot pie going down their throats. She runs a flower shop,they find out, but she works from home._

 _"Why?" asks Sting through a mouthful of crust._

 _"Don't talk with your mouth full," she admonishes. "Roses have become the classic symbol for affection – don't ask me why. I just know their meanings. People do strange things, you two. Remember that." She pauses at that strange comment to hold the end of a string in her mouth._

 _"They've come up with a whole system, in fact. One rose- 'I love you,'_ _love at first sight, 'I still love you,' 'all my deepest affections are on you,' 'you are the one for me.' Two roses- mutual affection, 'let us be together.' Three- 'I love you,' shared love, a one-month anniversary gift, 'you and me and our love for company.' I could go on and on about the various meanings for the colors of roses, the number of roses, the type of rose. There are twenty-six different numbers of roses that symbolize something specific, and one of those numbers is a thousand and one. It's silly to stick to just one flower, but roses have become that flower. There are so many others that could say the same thing, or even say more." Sting and Ryos finish their pieces of pie while the woman swiftly ties together a bundle of flowers in a complicated-looking bow._

 _"_ _Miss? Why do most people only use roses?" asks Sting, careful to swallow first this time. She looks at him with an odd expression on her face._

 _"In my experience, people don't like to change and they don't like to accept what's difficult. They're static. Now, don't let the ramblings of an old woman affect you, but most of the people I've met won't take the time to learn symbolism. It's so much easier to buy a rose, not_ _choose_ _a random flower or carefully decide on what_ _ones_ _to_ _buy_ _,_ _so people take the easy way out. I've met customers who come up to me and ask what kind of flowers to buy their wife for an anniversary and come back the next year to ask the same thing, again and again." Something in Sting and Ryos' faces make the woman shake herself a bit and smile warmly at them._

 _"I'm just a cynical old woman, though. Don't you worry about what I say, make your own decisions about the nature of people." They're quick to ignore that odd moment, as young children are prone to do, distracted by the food before them and the woman's gentle voice as she starts talking about the arrangements she's doing._

 _*End Flashback*_

"One rose- I love you," murmers Rogue absentmindedly as rose petals tickle his nose. Sting glances up sharply.

"What?" he asks, something like panic coloring his voice.

"Just remembering," says Rogue. "What was that lady talking to you about?"

"Oh, she was just surprised at the color choice." Sting is hiding something. There's hesitation in his voice that Rogue recognizes.

"Why?"

"Black roses mean the death of a relationship. She- she apparently thought we're together." Rogue can feel a blush staining his cheeks as he says,

"Oh." He looks sidelong at Sting and in an odd, sudden burst of confidence, he opens his mouth again. "Do you want to be?" Blood roars in his ears and he's shaking, but his voice is steadier than he thought it would be. Sting stops suddenly and forcefully turns Rogue to face him.

"Do you?" asks the blonde, ice-blue eyes boring into his intently. Rogue can't speak, can barely breathe, and can't believe he's instigated this conversation. He nods mutely, face burning, and tries to look away, or down, or anywhere but Sting's blue eyes. He can't.

He face is scanned intently, the black rose plucked from his hand, and then Sting is kissing him. Rogue can feel his eyes widen, his mouth open, and it runs continuously through his mind that he's _kissing_ _Sting_. His arms wind around his oldest, closest friend; his hands bury in soft, white-blonde hair.

"I love you." It slips out against a soft mouth unintentionally and he freezes until the words are returned, barely mouthed against his own lips. They part, black rose forgotten on the street as they walk back home.

The sun is a little brighter, Rogue thinks, but not quite as bright as Sting. He smiles slightly and slips his hand into the blonde's.

* * *

 **A/N: I got the meanings for flowers and the meanings for different numbers of roses from , , , and a book called _The Language of Flowers_. The chapter title is from Lateralus by Tool. I didn't really know where to go with this chapter, but I think I figured it out as I went on. I kind of wanted to post this on Valentine's Day, but I ended up getting really busy with other stuff so here's a belated Valentine's Day chapter for you. Sorry this took a bit to get out. Thank you and, as always, read and review!**


	27. To The END

To The END

Natsu holds family first and foremost. He always has and he always will, and anyone who has ever met him, as a friend or as an enemy, has learned this the hard way. He will fight to the depths of hell and the end of the world and then back again, to his final dying breath for his family if he has to, and everyone, _everyone_ knows it. He puts more stock in bonds of friendship than in anything else, and as a result, anyone who is his friend is, almost by extension, a part of his family with exceptions few and far between.

Beyond his unwavering, all-consuming loyalty, or perhaps because of it, Natsu is so very innately good. The definition of a hero, for all the thoughtless destruction he causes.

The world is not black and white, nor is it divided into good and evil, or anything like that. It cannot be sectioned off, no matter how much people may try. To do so shows a particular brand of naivety that is heartbreaking but necessary to lose. Fairy Tail is both the epitome of the notion and the exception. Its members are far from prejudices, and they look beyond the bad in people and see only the good. At the same time, they all have their views on 'evil' and even if they won't say it, anyone who is against them, anyone who is needlessly cruel, who revels in destruction and havoc and chaos, who kills willingly and happily, anyone and anything, is considered 'evil.'

That's why Natsu tries to run.

He is E.N.D. That thought runs over and over in his head, has since the moment that Zeref relayed to him everything that he never knew. He is something that is meant to kill and wreak havoc and destory, meant to _kill_ when he doesn't kill, doesn't want to kill. He is E.N.D. Something that is intended to be the polar opposite of who Natsu is, something that goes against every single value he has. He is a thing that is inherently evil where Natsu is so inherently good, and one day he will destroy and kill and have no reservations, no guilt about it. He is E.N.D.

Guilt claws away at Natsu's heart as he slips out of the house he shares with Happy in the dead of night, careful not to wake the little blue Exceed who has been his friend almost as long as the other Slayers have been. As he passes Happy's sleeping form, though, he realizes he can't leave without saying goodbye. With an almost silent sigh, Natsu turns and scrounges up paper and pen as quietly as possible and scribbles out a note. He barely brushes his fingers over Happy's head as he passes his best friend, and walks out the door.

* * *

Happy wakes with a sudden rush, unsure of what jolted him from peaceful dreams of fish. He blinks around, eyes quickly adjusting to the dark, and is greeted with a view of the door closing. The faint touch of moonlight on salmon-pink hair is all Happy needs to see wake himself fully. Past experience has taught him that if Natsu doesn't want to be caught, he won't be, not even with Happy's Max Speed. The door eases closed, and the Exceed is immediately up and fluttering around the house. It's not hard to find Natsu's note – the Fire Dragon Slayer didn't exactly try to hide it – but all it says is _I'm sorry, I had to leave_. It's not Natsu's style at all, and not just the note. Running away in the middle of the night is as far a cry from the Fire Dragon Slayer's personality as possible. He faces everything head on, with a grin on his face and his fists aflame.

If Happy wasn't sure before, he's sure now: Something is horrible wrong.

He flies out the door and into the night.

* * *

Wendy wakes up slowly and groggily from a light sleep, stretching and rubbing her eyes. She's tempted to take her time answering whomever it is that's pounding at her door, but that's not in her nature. So, she reluctantly swings out of bed to tell off her visitor. Just because she's the calmest and most respectful of the Dragon Slayers doesn't mean she's not a dragon. Carla is also awake, and she pads behind Wendy as the girl swings open her door to reveal a frantic-looking Happy.

Uncharacteristically, he darts in without permission and clings to her shoulder. Wendy's too surprised by his sudden visit and odd behavior to do anything but let the door swing shut. It's Carla who keeps a clear head.

"Happy, it's the middle of the night," she says chastisingly.

"Natsu's g-gone!" sobs the blue Exceed.

"Natsu-nii?" asks Wendy. She has a second to be startled before worry sets in. "What do you mean he's gone? Was he taken?!" Her voice gets louder and higher as her worry escalates into full-blown panic. She can't lose any of her brothers. She _can't_. Not after her birth parents and Grandeeney, not after her entire, albeit illusory, guild, not after that brief and heartbreaking reunion with her dragon mother only to lose her a second time, she can't lose someone else, and especially not one of her brothers.

Sniffling, Happy pulls out a wrinkled piece of paper and shows her Natsu's brief and oddly stilted note. In a move that's far more reminiscent of her brothers' behavior than she knows Carla would like, Wendy raises the paper to her nose and inhales the familiar scent of fire and cinnamon and smoke and summer forests. It's Natsu's note, without a doubt.

"Natsu-nii," she whispers.

"What happened?" Carla asks.

"H-he just left in the middle of the night… He woke me up and I saw him leaving," Happy cries.

"Why didn't you follow him?" Carla asks sharply, and the blue Exceed flinches at her tone.

"I-I wouldn't be able to keep up with him."

"Carla," Wendy interjects, soft and sad, "don't be mad at him." The white Exceed takes a moment to really look at the Male Cat, and has to admit that she's being harsh on him. He's already distraught enough, and Natsu can run like a forest fire.

"Have you told Gray yet?" Carla asks far more gently. Happy shakes his head.

"I thought that you might know something. From your visions." Carla shakes her head at that.

"I only see big events. Flashes of world-changing things."

"But if Natsu's leaving–" Happy begins with painful hope.

"I haven't seen anything anyways," Carla interrupts.

"We need to tell Gray," Wendy says with newfound firmness. Her mind is racing as she hurries to get dressed and runs into the night, followed by two Exceeds.

 _Please Natsu-nii_ , she thinks, _come back to us._

* * *

Gray is woken from an uneasy sleep with relief. Ever since he said his last goodbyes to his father, he hasn't slept well, and not having the human furnace known as Natsu Dragneel doens't help much either. The Dragon Slayer had refused to stay the night with an odd sort of evasion, and Gray hadn't pushed. His mate has been having just as much trouble, if not more, with his final goodbye to his beloved Igneel, Gray knows all too well the need to mourn alone.

He lays in the darkness for awhile, an odd feeling of dread and panic pooling in his chest alongside a painful tug in his heart. He attributes both to his own grief and being apart from Natsu. He sits up as a knock on his door alerts him to late-night visitors. Mindless of his state of undress (anyone who would visit him this late is used to it by now), Gray opens the door to a tearful Wendy and Happy and a fretful Carla. Wordlessly, he lets them in and almost before they speak knows that its something to do with Natsu.

Although Gray is sure he can attribute a lot of changes in Natsu's behavior to grief, a second period of mourning for his draconic father, he knows there's something else that's been bothering his mate, something that Natu's been keeping from him. Wrapped up in his own loss, Gray knows he's been a less-than-stellar boyfriend and it's all culminating into now, he's sure of it.

He should have pressed Natsu harder.

"Wendy?" he asks, forcing himself out of that line of thinking. Blame will do no good here. "It's Natsu, isn't it," he says instead of asking what's wrong. His hunch is confirmed when she bursts into tears.

"Natsu-nii's gone, Happy said he left in the middle of the night and all that was there was a note saying that he _has_ to go, and we don't know why." The words spill out of her mouth alongside tears, and Gray is quick to try and settle her down. He's never been that close to Wendy, but she's a guildmate, a friend, and Natsu's honorary sister. As she cries into her fists, he focuses on the rapidly-increasing tugging sensation in his heart and tugs back. It's starting to hurt to be so far away from Natsu.

"Come on then," Gray says decisively once Wendy's calmed down. There's really nothing else he can ask – he's sure that she, Carla, and Happy know about as much as he does. He slips on his clothes and herds the three out the door.

"Where are we going?" asks Wendy.

"To Natsu."

* * *

A sharp pang and a tugging in his heart tells Natsu that he's too far from Gray. Doggedly, he ignores the feeling and keeps on running. He has to get away. He can't hurt his friends, his guild, his siblings, his mate. He can't risk their harm. He has to get away, and he has to keep them away.

As he gets further and further from Magnolia, fire-fuled flight widening the distance between himself and his home, the tugging gets stronger and Natsu starts to feel like he's getting dragged back forcibly by a fishing line attached to his heart. This is more than just distance, this is Gray learning to manipulate the mating bond. Swearing lightly, Natsu knows he can't run any further or he'll find himself running back the way he came. He reluctantly stops and starts to search for a place to hide.

In his heart, though, Natsu knows it's futile. At this point, he and Gray are close enough, and their bond is settled enough that if either of them need to, they can easily find the other.

He was stupid to run.

* * *

It doesn't take long to find Natsu. Following the tug of their bond and forcefully tugging back himself, Gray knows exactly when Natsu stops moving. He feels an echo of resignation tremor down the bond, and knows Natsu's done running. He wants to be furious at Natsu's thoughtless disregard for everyone that cares about him, his blatant lack of care for how his siblings would feel, how _Gray_ would feel. Knowing, however, that something else is eating at Natsu's mind, he can't muster up any emotion other than worry.

Once they hit the forestline, the painful feeling of separation that the bond is causing them stops, but Gray can still feel the tug. He also feels, he notes with a slight grin, the distance between him and Natsu closing on more than just his side. His Dragon Slayer is also walking toward them.

"He's on his way," he relays to his worried companions.

"How do you know?" asks Carla, while Wendy nods in immediate understanding that Carla follows seconds after her question.

"The bond," he says anyways.

Were he not so worried, Gray would be tempted to simply wait for Natsu to emerge; as it is, things have been strained enough between them with their grief and their separate coping mechanisms. Natsu always wants to fight. Gray just wants to be left alone. Neither of them should be allowed to do what they want to deal with grief.

Natsu's hollow gaze and salmon-pink hair are soon in sight. Happy flies immediately to him, and is greeted with a brief hug and a look of apology. Gray and Wendy follow at a more sedate pace, while Carla simply hangs back. This is for the four to work out.

"Flame-brained idiot," greets Gray.

"Loud-mouth streaker," Natsu spits back automatically.

"You left you cinder-faced jerk!"

"I had to, slush-for-brains!"

"Why?" The word is pained and desperate and comes, not from Gray, but from Wendy. Natsu softens.

"I'm sorry, Wendy-chan," he says with real remorse. "And to you, Gray. All of you."

"I don't give a damn whether you're sorry, idiotic matchstick!" Gray hisses out, fury welling up in place of worry. Natsu's temper, predictably, rises to meet Gray's, though this time in the form of a fiery fist towards his face. Gray easily catches it, and retaliates with a kick to Natsu's side. Within seconds, they've devolved from their usual fights to simply rolling around on the ground, trying to get the upper hand as they claw and bite at each other, more like wild animals than people. Wendy skips back from the pair, unsure whether to be worried. This isn't like their usual fighting. They seem set on hurting one another, no magic involved, just sharp nails and sharper teeth.

"Dammit Natsu, why did you leave?!" demands Gray, punctuating his words with a fierce kick that makes Natsu fly off of him. He lands on his feet and leaps straight back into fighting.

"I- had- to!" shouts Natsu, fighting against Gray's hand forcing his head away.

"Beause that explains _everything_ ," Gray replies scathingly, fighting to gain the upper hand.

"I," Natsu begins, and actually pauses his motions. Gray, compensating for Natsu's incredible strength, snaps the Fire Dragon Slayer's head back. Natsu responds by using reversing the momentum into a headbutt. His skull cracks against Gray's with unexpected force and he immediately breaks away. Blood begins leaking from Gray's squashed nose as he painfully sits up. Wendy is immediately there, healing the injury and looking reproachfully at her honorary brother. This isn't one of their playful but still serious fights.

"Goddammit Natsu, talk to me," orders Gray around his swiftly-healing nose. His boyfriend simply looks defeated, head down and hands limp by his folded legs.

"Promise me," Natsu says quietly. "Promise me you'll stop me."

"What? You're not making any–"

" _Promise me Gray_ ," Natsu says forcefully, forest-green eyes wide and intense.

"I'm not making any blind promises," Gray repliles just as forcefully.

"E.N.D.," whispers Natsu.

"What's that have to do with this?"

"E.N.D. What do you think it stands for?"

"Natsu–" Gray tries again.

"What do you think it stands for?" Natsu repeats.

"I dunno, I figured it was just end."

"'Etherious Natsu Dragneel,'" is the soft correction. "It stands for 'Etherious Natsu Dragneel.'"

"Natsu-nii?" interjects Wendy. He refuses to look at her.

"When I fought Zeref," Natsu begins, voice dull and dead, "he told me. He said I'm his brother. He said he created me to kill him. I'm his greatest creation. I am E.N.D." He bows his head and waits for their anger, their disgust, their rejection. He was made to kill, to destroy, to be the epitome of what Fairy Tail stands against. One day he will kill them and he will enjoy it, Natsu is sure of it, and that will the be day he is not Natsu any longer. He doesn't expect two pairs of arms to wrap around him, and a soft fur to join in the hug.

"Nah," says Gray into Natsu's hair. Natsu would jerk his head up if Gray wasn't resting his chin in it.

"Nah?!" demands Natsu.

"Won't happen."

"Zeref said–"

"All those things you're thinking. The fears. They won't happen."

"You can't know that."

"I told you what my father said," Gray says, voice cracking on the word 'father.'

"Yeah."

"I vowed to destroy E.N.D. in vengeance against what Tartaros did to him. I took his magic so I could slay a demon." Natsu's eyes widen at that and he fights his way out of the embrace.

"No, no, I can't make you, I can't let you," he says immediately, instinctually, regardless of the fact that he was about to make Gray promise to stop him.

"I wouldn't let anyone else."

"You're my–" Natsu pauses, unsure of how to finish. 'Mate' doesn't seem quite right, while 'boyfriend' doesn't seem to encompass enough. 'Everything' is closest, but not entirely true and far too sappy.

"You are mine and I am yours," Gray helps him. It's what they decided the moment they met. They are each other's best friend and rival and heart, each others' incentive to get stronger and best sparring partner. Natsu gets it then.

"Promise me then. Swear you'll stop me if I transform."

"I'm not killing you. Not unless I have to," Gray says. Natsu doesn't argue with him.

"Natsu-nii," Wendy says, looking at him with sad blue eyes. "Natsu-nii, I love you. Promise you won't run away again." Natsu looks at her.

"I'm sorry for being a coward. That's not how a Fairy Tail mage acts. We face everything head-on, together, as family. I promise, Wendy. I won't run away again."

Gray says, "We're in agreeance then?" Natsu nods and turns to Happy.

"Sorry, Happy," he says. The Exceed glares at him balefully.

"I don't forgive you," he says weakly.

"I'll buy you fish," Natsu wheedles with a small grin.

"How many?" asks Happy suspiciously. Gray tugs Natsu and Wendy to their feet, indicating that they should all head back to Magnolia. It's starting to get light out, and they're all tired. The group heads back to town to the sound of Natsu bargaining Happy's forgiveness. The Fire Dragon Slayer looks fondly at the two humans and two Exceeds that walk with him. He is E.N.D. He's meant to destroy and to kill and go entirely against his nature. One day, he's going to make his own mate kill him, but somehow, that doesn't feel as daunting as it should be.

* * *

 **A/N: I am so sorry for the long absence. I have no excuses for it other than a lack of will to write and a lack of inspiration for this story. I swear I wanted to write I just didn't know what to write. I cannot promise regular updates again, but I will try to get out more chapters to this soon. If any of you have a request on something you'd like to see happen, I'll try to write it in. Do note that I have not read the manga, only seen the anime, and everything that happens after the anime, namely, in this case, Natsu beind E.N.D. (sorry if I spoiled that for anybody) I'm getting from the Fariy Tail wiki. As another note, as of right now, I don't plan on writing any chapters for Wendy getting a mate. I don't really ship her with anyone, and I don't think I could do justice to whatever pairing I might go with. On the chapter itself, title is from a song by My Chemical Romance called 'To the End.' This felt really forced and I think it shows. I had no clue where to go with it, and I don't think that I wrote Natsu very in-character. Scrolling through the reviews I saw a request to write about the others discovering Natsu is E.N.D. and another requesting more Wendy. I have been neglecting her, Cobra, and Gajeel a lot, so I shoehorned Wendy in. Again, I am so sorry for not updating this in forever. Thanks for reading and, as always, review!**


	28. Interlude: Juvia Locksar

Interlude: Juvia Locksar

Juvia is a romantic at heart. She likes to think she knows a good love story when she sees one, and it is her deepest and fondest desire to be a part of a great love story. Sadly, for her at least, she does not seemed destined to have the love story she desires.

As the resident 'Rain Woman,' Juvia knows about rejection. She's been rejected all her life for the constant sadness she radiates, and for the rain that inevitably follows her: a literal storm cloud over her head. Phantom Lord provides an odd sort of acceptance, and it's enough for her to stay loyal to her guild. She's a powerful mage in her own right, and Phantom Lord loves power – it's not hard to do the math.

Meeting Gajeel gives Juvia actual ties to Phantom Lord. Heartless, ruthless, cold, and violent, the dark guild is not a welcoming environment. Juvia, however, is starved enough for acceptance, for companionship, that she can deal with the the lack of bonds or loyalty to one another. She doesn't need that, she just wants people to look at her and talk to her.

Gajeel, however, is an odd mix of the guild's hardness and his own fierce, quiet loyalty. He's just as harsh as their guildmates but underneath his iron exterior, Juvia catches a glimpse of the potential for unwavering loyalty alongside a deep longing. He has ties elsewhere, she concludes within a few days of his entry to the guild. Jose isn't too picky about who joins the guild so long as they're powerful and understand that no one joins Phantom Lord to make friends. The Iron Dragon Slayer's entrance is quiet, just like him. He shows up on day in worn clothes, covered in the evidence of years of travel. He doesn't say where he's been, or why he's there. He just asks to join. His Dragon Slayer magic is all the credential he needs before Jose stamps him.

He quickly makes a name for himself in the guild, 'Black Steel Gajeel' who is ruthless and violent, just like the guild, and has real strength, unlike most of his guildmates. The 'Element Four' is not an official thing. Aria, Sol, Juvia, and Totomaru are simply, and without a doubt, four of Phantom Lord's most powerful members. Their magics happen to have a common theme as well, and thus is born the guild's most famous group. Gajeel is unofficially a part of it, but he's redundant with Sol and either way is too much of a loner to join a group. He spends most of his days in the guild hall sitting in the corner, shadows covering his face menacingly as he glares into the crowd of his guildmates. If nothing else, Gajeel Redfox certainly knows how to have a presence.

Something in Juvia connects with this odd, silently menacing newcomer, just like something in her connects, to some extent, with her compatriots.

Aria is the most offputing of the group, terrifying in his ruthless powers and even moreso in his depressing worldview. Something in his constant tears and dramatics is chilling and off, especially when paired with his fierce love for battle. Sol is a snivelling coward, strong in his own right but completely despicable. His sadistic joy in breaking his opponents with memories is his downfall as much as it is a facet of his sadism. The easy flip in his personality, from cruelly taunting to pathetically begging, only makes him worse. Totomaru is the best of them. He has a sense of honor and fairness; he does not take the same joy in battle that Sol and Aria do, and his quirks of personality are far less menacing than the two – overconfidence is his main flaw, and that only makes its appearance in a fight. Still, despite Aria's quiet menace, despite Sol's sliminess, because of Totomaru's easy personality, Juvia almost likes them. It's easy to overlook Aria's dramatics, and Juvia can almost understand his depressing view of the world. Sol's sadistic yet cowardly side only makes its appearance in battle – outside of it, he's almost decent to talk with, and Juvia can almost laugh at his antics.

So maybe they can't be considered friends, or even really close. So maybe Juvia can't even say she likes the even part of the time. She's been lumped in with them, they are the four strongest in the guild, and she rather has to tolerate them. So she does.

Gajeel is different. He projects the same air of menace as does Aria, he displays the same sadistic streak that Sol does, and he is twice as confident in his abilities as Totomaru is. At the same time, that's not entirely him. Oh, does he revel in the fight. Juvia thinks its more due to the feeling of getting caught up in the heat of battle, in the simple narrowing of focus down to the dance of fists and limbs and dodging and hitting and spells, than anything else. He doesn't take violent pleasure in harming. He takes pleasure in fighting.

He and Juvia spar a few times. The others in the Element 4 don't care enough, and the rest of the guild are too weak to last long against him. Juvia's Water Body makes it a challenge for him, something he clearly appreciates as he sends iron rods that I swear are _not_ a metaphor for sexuality through her body, absorbing her water blades on iron scales and returning with a blast of spiralling metal shards. Somehow they never really get to talking until years later, after Gajeel has shut himself completely off from the rest of the guild, after Gajeel has hardened himself against the unnecessary cruelty that his guildmates love.

That's when everything changes.

The battle against Fairy Tail is something of a blue for Juvia. She's an intrinsic part of it, as a piece of the Element 4, but her heart is far from in it. When she battles against Gray, that's when she knows: she cannot stay in Phantom Lord any longer, and she is desperately in love with him. Maybe it's Juvia's romantic, but she swears they have an instant connection the moment their eyes meet, his dark blue against her sea-blue. On paper they're perfectly matched. His magic is with ice, hers is with water. Both have near-complete mastery of their respective element, and their battle reflects that. Where Juvia has known little affection, Gray is brimming with his fierce love and loyalty for his friends. Most importantly, he doesn't mind the rain.

It also certainly doesn't hurt that he's attractive. Broad-shouldered but slim, well-muscled, toned chest and clear six-pack that Juvia gets an eyeful of when he, for some odd reason strips mid-battle, Gray is definitely to her tastes. More than that, he's kind and, like Gajeel, fiercely loyal. It's a common theme with the rest of Fairy Tail, Juvia soon finds out. He refuses to back down to her, and even though she's immediately jealous, she admires his dedication to saving love-rival Lucy.

He makes the rain stop. As he walks away and Juvia lays there, staring up at a bright blue sky she's never seen before, she knows that he will forever have her loyalty.

* * *

It's a few months after she settles into Fairy Tail that she starts to realize, and god does her heart _shatter_. Maybe Juvia's a bit obsessive. More than a bit obsessive. Stalker-like, really. She'll admit that. But her heart is in the right place. She loves Gray, has since she saw him, and the feeling has only grown since getting to know him. He's kind, loyal, funny, sweet, and laid-back. He, like most of Fairy Tail, revels in the fight. What Juvia should have seen from the beginning is how he revels in his interactions with Natsu more.

She's known, since joining Fairy Tail, that the two, now three, resident Dragon Slayers are different, not quite human. Their magic seems to have more of an impact on their biology than it does for any other mage, and it also impacts their personalities with dragon-temper, dragon-fierceness, and dragon-loyalty. It's a surprise to find that Gajeel already knows Natsu and Laxus, but she manages to solidify their former loose friendship into something strong. Their shared past with Phantom Lord is their only connection, but a surprisingly effective one to bond them, despite the fact that Juvia's integration into the guild is vastly different than Gajeel's. She doesn't have to deal with the aftereffects of torturing three of the guild members and bolting them to a tree, along with destroying the guild hall.

She learns of Jet and Droy's attack on him, and Laxus consequent attack on Levy mere hours after it happens. She knows better than to try to talk to him about it. Juvia does have to note, however, the tenderness with which Levy speaks to him, thanking him as she tries her best to care for his injured arm. She definitely notes the gruffness with which he accepts her thanks, and the kind note to his apology for what he did to her. That Black Steel Gajeel is apologizing in the first place is a miracle in and of itself.

Juvia is a romantic at heart. Watching the two with their blushing interactions, their odd companionship, she knows in her heart that they will be good together.

Part of her wants to confront Laxus about the actions he took against his own guildmates. She's not had the chance to interact with him at all, and her first impression of him is not a good one. Still, she watches the way he talks and fights with Natsu, the way he awkwardly apologizes to Gajeel and Levy the day after his attack, and her opinion changes. She's not good enough friends with Gajeel to warrant defending him against his new guildmate, and they seem to have made up, anyways. Their first interactions were hostile, but now they seem to have eased into as close a bond as they have with Natsu.

Natsu. Oh how Juvia wants to despise him, but it's near-impossible to hate Natsu. He's so charismatic, and bright, and full of life that he spreads to everyone around him, holds such fierce loyalty, he cannot be hated no matter how much Juvia tries.

When she first heard of Lucy from Gray, she'd assumed the blonde girl would be her main rival in the battle for Gray's affection. What's not to like about a pretty, cheerful, intelligent blonde who he spends a fair portion of his time with and goes on missions with? Juvia wants to hate Lucy as well, and succeeds only at disliking her for the sole reason of her being a love-rival.

Juvia's not very good at disliking people, it turns out.

Natsu, however, Natsu she never suspected.

* * *

It's rather enjoyable to be new to the guild. Juvia is content to spend her days watching the interactions of her new guildmates, her usual depression vanished in the face of such easy acceptance and quick offers of friendship, to be surrounded by people who love each other, people who are family, who could be _her_ family.

She likes watching the easy way they laugh and talk and argue and fight, likes their fierce loyalty to one another and their bright grins and brighter laughter. It doesn't take long for her to figure out the various groups within the guild. Levy, Jet, and Droy are a team, but after Gajeel defended her, Levy seems to be finding more and more excuses to abandon the two to spend time with the Iron Dragon Slayer. She seems tired of their antics, and completely oblivious of the fact that they're both in love with her. The two remaining Strauss siblings cling to each other with a desperation befitting of two people who lost their beloved younger sister. Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow are close friends with a borderline fanatic loyalty to Laxus, something the Juvia reluctantly supposes is reflected in her affection for Gray. Laxus, Gajeel, and Natsu have some sort of odd bond, clearly close but at the same time the most prone to breaking out into arguments and fights.

At the forefront of the picture that Fairy Tail's guildhall paints, however, is Natsu, Erza, Gray, and Lucy. Juvia doesn't think that the friendship between the four manages to match the bond she's seen between the three Dragon Slayers, but she gets the feeling that nothing could actually be stronger. There's a history there that she doesn't know.

Considering the Team Natsu is where her beloved Gray is, it's no surprise she spends the most time watching their interactions.

"Natsu and Gray!" shouts Erza, a demonic look in their eyes. They're fighting again, unsurprisingly, and though Juvia always looks at her Gray-sama through the lens of him being perfection incarnate, she has to agree with the redhead: he fights entirely too much with Natsu. At the sound of the Titania, one of perhaps three people who can reign the two in, they immediately break apart, magically buddying up to one another as though Natsu hadn't just been in the process of rapidly introducing his fist to Gray's face.

"Aye sir!" they shout in unison. She looks at them carefully, a gleam in her brown eyes that Juvia can't place.

"I'm glad to see you two are getting along," she says dangerously instead of the lecture that the Rain Woman expects.

Juvia's been in the guild for just a few months now, and the sheer _newness_ of being in such a close-knit environment has still not worn off. Gajeel remains her only close friend, but she has easy interactions with Mirajane, ever cheerful and ever kind, and Cana, ever drunk and ever cynical. It's Mirajane whom she approaches with her confusion.

"Juvia doesn't understand," Juvia tells the silver-haired beauty, sitting at the bar that Mirajane is tending to.

"What?" asks Mira.

"Why are Natsu and my Gray-sama on the same team if they fight each other all the time? Surely one of them could leave and joing a different one."

"Don't you see it?" asks Mira with genuine surprise. "Fighting is their life."

"But they barely seem to stand each other! Juvia's Gray-sama gets dragged into so many fights because of Natsu," Juvia fades off, her voice a bit sad and a lot put upon. The eldest Strauss sibling laughs her merry, tinkling laugh.

"Gray starts just as many fights with Natsu as Natsu does with him," she giggles.

"Why?"

"You haven't realized yet," Mira says, voice full of entirely too much pity for Juvia's liking.

"Seen what?" asks the Water Mage more than a bit exasperatedly.

"Fire and ice. Coolness and passion. They revel in battle, and they are each other's best opponent. They always strive to beat each other, but in reality they're always equals," Mira explains more than a bit mysteriously.

Juvia walks away in thought and vague annoyance. Talking with Mira hasn't helped her to understand her Gray-sama one bit, so she decides to keep watching them. Something that the Take-Over Mage has said about Gray and Natsu strikes a chord in Juvia, and she realizes that Mira's talk of opposites and equilibrium is familiar.

Laxus, who she's taken note of since his attack, is always found with the Rajinshuu and is always found with Freed. The Rune Mage has escaped her notice, for the most part, simply fading into the background as one of the mages that hangs around the Lightning Dragon Slayer; however, it's also impossible not to note the changes in Laxus' personality when he's around Freed. Where the blonde is brash and loud and arrogant and cold and antisocial, Freed is quiet and reserved and confident (not arrogant) and warm (with the Rajinshuu and Laxus, at least) and antisocial. Similar opposites is how Juvia would desribe them as she focuses on the two more.

Freed seems to live to serve Laxus' every need. Laxus seems to orbit around the Rune Mage. Now that she really pays attention, Juvia's amazed that she hasn't seen it before, especially when she considers herself such a romantic. Perhaps her 'ability' to pick out a good love story only revolves around herself and her 'love story.'

"Laxus and Freed are together, aren't they," she says to Mira a few days later. The Take-Over Mage smiles softly as she looks over at the two, sitting side by side and closer than friends.

"For a few years now," she replies fondly. "Freed has been in love with him since they were children, even before Laxus disappeared."

"He disappeared?" Juvia asks in surprise. The curiosity in her tone brings Mira's wide blue gaze back to her.

"I wasn't really there for it," Mira begins. "Elfman and I," she pauses and says more quietly, "and Lisanna, joined years after it happened. I heard a lot about it from Freed and others, though, so I think I know it pretty well." And then she talks about the fight that Laxus had with Makarov, and the Rajinshuu's reaction, and she talks about how Freed had seemed to be missing something until the day that Laxus and Natsu arrived together. She recounts the Rajinshuus' tales of how they met Laxus, and the sappy, ardent look in Freed's eyes as he recalled his first interactions with the Lightning Dragon Slayer. There's that soft look in her eyes again as she also tells Juvia about the day that Rune Mage and Dragon Slayer arrived together in the guildhall, hand in hand and far happier than before.

"Ever since, Laxus has been really protective over Freed, and they spend _all_ of their time together. I don't think I've ever seen them more than a few feet apart since they got together," Mira concludes.

She's called away soon after that, leaving Juvia in silent contemplation. She resolves herself to pay further attention to the couple. Watching the way they interact, gentle ribbing and almost disgustingly saccharine tenderness that make her heart ache a bit to watch, Juvia is almost heartened by their relationship. They're damn near perfect for each other and every motion they make seems to be perfectly synchronized to the other: Laxus reaches for a cup, and Freed automatically moves it a bit closer; when Laxus stands, Freed is barely a second behind him; weaving their way through the crowded guildhall, each step they take, no matter whether whether their paths are forced to diverge to make allowances for large clumps of people, always brings them back to one another in the shortest way possible. They orbit about one another: to Freed, Laxus must be the sun; to Laxus, Freed the Earth. No normal couple is _that_ in sync, so after a few more days of watching, Juvia approaches Mirajane again.

"They're not just together," Juvia decides as she takes a seat. Mira is always willing to make time to talk with people, and easily sets aside the cup she's cleaning.

"You're right," Mira agrees, smiling earnestly at the Water Mage. Juvia has to note how Mira seems to be trying to lead her toward some conclusion; what that conclusion is, she has no clue of yet.

"What are they then?"

"Mates. Dragon mates. They're more than a couple, they're… two halves made whole," Mira explains, eyes gone soft and misty again. There's a particular longing in her voice that Juvia thinks she understands: what she wouldn't give to have that kind of connection with someone. _You don't even have that with Gray-sama_ , her mind whispers to her. She ignores it; Gray is simply scared to acknowledge their connection.

"Does that mean that Gajeel-kun and Natsu have the same with someone?" asks Juvia instead of listening to her own thoughts. Mira's looking at her with pity again. There's definitely something the Rain Woman is missing.

"Gajeel doesn't yet. Natsu does, and while he has the same thing as Laxus and Freed, his connection with his mate is different. I think that dragon mates are like soulmates, so Natsu and his mate definitely make each other whole, but they're not so… perfect," says the Take-Over Mage. Juvia reflects on this and agrees. She thinks she knows who Mirajane is dancing around, and it makes her happy to realize that Lucy was never a love-rival, because she was always Natsu's.

"I think it's dependent on the couple," Mira continues, interrupting Juvia's train of thought. "Laxus needs stability and support. He needs affection, and he needs assurance that Freed loves him for him. He's always in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Freed is the same way, so their relationship is…" She trails off, trying to find the right descriptor.

"Sickeningly sweet?" asks Cana, who appears next to them. "C'n I get 'nother barrel, Mira?" slurs the Card Mage. The bartender complies, and Cana wanders off again.

"And Natsu and Lucy?" asks Juvia. The silver-haired beauty barely keeps her confusion in check before answering.

"Natsu and his _mate_ ," Mira begins, stressing the fact that she's not telling Juvia whether he assumption is correct, "are not like that. Natsu is all fire and passion and loyalty and heart, as I'm sure you've seen. He doesn't need a perfect relationship. He just needs his mate to be there, to match him fist for fist, spell for spell, insult for insult, passion for passion. They are just as much the center of one anothers attention as Laxus and Freed, they just aren't so overt about it."

"Juvia thinks that Gajeel and Levy must be mates." Mira smiles at that.

"I agree, but they've only just met and it wasn't a good first impression. Let them dance around each other. Eventually, we can give them a little push," she says with a mischievious little giggle. Juvia agrees before wandering off, her new focus on Natsu's interactions with Lucy.

They argue, and Lucy often beats him over the head with her latest book while Natsu grins at her all the while. It's not the same as Laxus and Freed though. Natsu acts the same around Lucy as he does around Erza, though with less fearful respect, and he acts the same around his other friends in the guild. The only person who he treats any differently is Juvia's Gray-sama.

Natsu argues with and teases Lucy. He looks up to Erza and is terrified of her even as he respects her for more than her power and her skills of intimidation. With Gray, it's almost like he's desperate for the Ice Mage's constant attention. They are together more often than note, and Juvia notes that it's often when her Gray-sama is not next to Natsu for too long that Fire Dragon Slayer starts a guild brawl, where he always, _always_ ends up fighting Gray. Natsu's is always hotheaded, something that's impossible not to notice. He appears to be set off by the slightest perceived insult, a look he takes the wrong way, and accidental object or limb that hits him, almost anything, it seems. And every 'slight' against it gets the Dragon Slayer 'all fired up' and fighting, grinning merrily all the while. His reactions are different with Gray, though. He seems to come alive when trading insults or blows with the Ice Mage, a spark in his eye and a smile on his lips even as he blows up in almost exaggerated anger. In full guild brawls, Natsu's focus always seems narrowed down to one person, and one person only: Gray.

What slowly breaks Juvia's heart is that Gray is the same way. Natsu starts the most full guild brawls, but Gray starts just as many fights with Natsu. Not-quite-oddly enough, they, like Laxus and Freed, really do orbit one another. It's just not in the way one would assume when they consider a couple.

Maybe it's not so surprising, Juvia thinks. After all, her Gray-sama and the guild's resident hothead both seem to live to fight.

* * *

"Juvia's watching you again," Natsu mumbles to Gray. They're sitting at a table with Lucy, whose focuse is entirely consumed by her writing. The Ice Mage glances over at his salmon-haired mate and grins a bit.

"You're jealous," he points out happily. Natsu glares and mumbles out some sort of halfhearted denial. Gray slings an arm over the other's shoulders in a casual embrace that Natsu easily settles into. He jerks his arm away, however, when a fire-encased fist meets his side and glares.

"And here I thought we were having a _moment_ ," Gray teases, retaliating with his own elbow to Natsu's arm.

"Stupid pervy popsicle," Natsu mutters as he slings his own arm over Gray's shoulder. He enjoys the feel of his mate's much cooler skin against his ever-overheated body. Although he doesn't mind the heat and doesn't much like the cold, Gray's natural chill is soothing. He glances over at where Juvia is sitting to see that she's moved her focus to Laxus and Freed, who she's also been watching quite intently. That's understandable. Natsu knows full well that the majority of the girls in the guild (and even some guys, though they'll deny it eternally) coo over his honorary older brother's relationship with the Rune Mage, and it really is quite something. He, and he knows Gray as well, could never have something like that, though, so picturesque and outwardly affectionate. Neither of them would be self-conscious about it, but it would feel out of place in a relationship of affectionate rivalry and easy fighting.

"Is it just me," asks Gray, following Natsu's gaze to Juvia, "or does she always seem to change her focus whenever there might be a hint that we're together?" Natsu narrows his dark green eyes and nods in agreeement.

"Think she'll ever give up?" he asks.

"I don't want to outright shut her down," Gray says a bit guiltily. "She's our guildmate and therefore _nakama_. I don't want to hurt her by telling her that I don't like her like that and never will."

"She'll have to find out anyway," Natsu points out reasonably.

"Mira's helping her with that."

"Huh?" asks Natsu. "How do you know?"

"You're oblivious, ash-for-brains," Gray ribs. Natsu glowers with no real heat. "She's been talking a lot with Juvia. Each time, Juvia focuses on different people. Last time she started watching you more often." As if to prove his point, Juvia's gaze returns to the two.

"Wanna try something?" Natsu asks with a bit of a grin, removing his arm from Gray.

"Depends."

"Let's get her caught up in a guild brawl." Gray laughs a bit at that.

"Only you would try to make her realize she doesn't have a chance in hell with me by starting a fight.

"She watches our fights," Natsu explains. "Anyways, that's what we do best." Gray shrugs, which Natsu takes as acquiescence. Lucy's going to hate him for this, he thinks with a grin as he stands. He heads toward the job board and grabs Lucy as he passes her, dragging her to look at what flyers are left.

"Natsu," she whines, "we just got back from a job!"

"C'mon, Lucy!" he whines right back. "I beat something up!" She glares at him, he glares back, and after a few minutes, shrugs and heads back to their table. He lets Lucy catch up and walk past him, smug with her small victory. Then he proceeds to 'stumble' and push her straight into Gray, who gently pushes her off of him and jumps up. Juvia's attention has immediately snapped over to Lucy, and she appears to be glowering.

"Dammit, you flame-brained idiot, watch where the hell you're going!" shouts Gray. Feigning far more concern than he feels, knowing full well that Lucy is fine, he holds out a hand to help her up.

"Lucy, you okay?" he asks her, pulling with just enough force to make her stumble into him again.

"Yeah," she grumbles. "I'd be better if Natsu didn't insist on fighting every second of every day." Gray grins down at her, making no move to move away from her.

"It's Natsu, what do you expect from him?" Lucy laughs at that with a fond smile.

" _LOVE-RIVAL_ ," comes a sudden screech as Juvia charges over to them. Natsu meets Gray's eyes for a brief second before sending a flaming fist straight at his face and missing to cleave into Juvia. Yet another guild brawl is on.

* * *

Although she's certainly seen her fair share of guild brawls, Juvia hasn't really participated in any of them. She prefers to watch as a bystander, alongside Mira and Lucy, who generally take their cover near the bar together. Watching her Gray-sama _clearly_ flirting with the blonde Celestial Mage is all she can take as she, for her first time ever, is the one to start a guild brawl. It doesn't help that Natsu's punch hits her instead of his intended target of Gray. Lucy makes her escape by Mira, and Juvia hasn't the heart to take away the safehaven of the bar. Instead, she turns her righteous fury on Natsu, who dodges her water attack and stumbles in Elfman.

It's very easy to start a guild brawl, Juvia thinks in wonder as the chain reaction of events brings most of the guild into the fight. She chooses to square off against Natsu, while Gray fights Elfman nearby. She should really be focusing on Natsu, but she can't help her gaze drifting to Gray as he strips and sends lances of ice at the middle Strauss sibling.

Gray's heart doesn't seem to be into it. Oh, he has a fierce grin on his face, dark blue eyes flashing as he sends fists and magic at Elfman, but he doesn't seem to be taking his usual absolute joy in the fight. Natsu is the same. It's something she always notices, and something that she also always denies.

"Gray-sama!" she calls warning as Natsu's latest fireball goes wild, heading straight towards Gray's back. He dodges, but just barely, and turns to Natsu.

"Natsu, what the hell?" he shouts. "At least learn to aim, you fiery mouth-breather!" Elfman is immediately forgotten as he turns his focus on Natsu, who gives a feral fanged grin. Juvia realizes that she, too, has been forgotten in favor of her Gray-sama, and turns to watch.

This is what was missing just seconds ago. There's that spark, the grin, that ferocity, that battle-joy. Natsu and Gray have eyes only for each other. Juvia blinks at the thought, realizes how she's phrased it in her head, and outside it starts raining hard and fast.

After the fight, she slowly makes her way over to where Mira is tending the bar as though it's not splintered, scorched, and otherwise damage by attacks, both magical and physical. The rain follows her everywhere, she thinks morosely, even in a guild where it's near impossible to be sad.

"You figured it out," Mira greets her. There's that look of pity again, and Juvia finally understands it.

"Natsu… and my Gray-sama," she forces out. She supposes he's not _her_ Gray-sama anymore, never was, in fact. He was always Natsu's, she just too blinded by a fool's hope to see it.

"They're mates," Mira confirms. "They have been since just before you joined, in fact. They only had a couple of days to realize before Phantom Lord attacked."

"But… Juvia love Gray-sama," she says sadly. The look Mira gives her is an odd mix of pity and stern reprimand.

"I told you about Laxus and Freed, how they're two halves made whole. It's the same with Natsu and Gray," she says a bit sharply. "I wanted you to realize yourself to make it easier on you, Juvia. Not so you could try and get between them."

"He made the rain stop," Juvia protests, not quite sure why she's protesting.

"Will you be that selfish?" It's the serious tone in her voice that has the Water Mage paying attention to Mira. Her wide blue eyes are kind as ever, but there's a hardness to them that says it's Juvia's choice whether to make an enemy out of not only her – _Natsu's_ Gray-sama, but also Mira and, most likely, a fair portion of the guild, Gajeel and Laxus included. Juvia makes her choice then, and reluctantly subsides. Mira's gaze softens again, and Juvia knows she's made the right choice.

"You might not get over it," Mira says kindly and knowingly, "but you'll learn to accept it. It's hard to begrudge them so much happiness." There's more understanding than Juvia expects in the Take-Over Mage's words, and she realizes that Mirajane understands this, to some extent. Whether it's Laxus or Freed that caused it, Juvia's not sure, but what she is sure about is that Mira loved, or loves, one of them.

Head bowing slightly, the Water Mage slowly walks away from the bar and back to her seat. She watches Laxus and Freed sitting in their comfortable silence, seeming to communicate with a glance, a touch, a motion. She watches Natsu and Gray with their easy interactions and quick tongues and quicker tempers, watches the way they lean into each other even as they elbow and punch one another in a constant, friendly war. She'll learn to accept it, Juvia knows, but right now, it hurts to watch them.

Outside, the rain slackens just a bit.

* * *

 **A/N: I admit, I don't particularly like Juvia. She's obsessive and stalkerish in the anime to the point that she's almost creepy. However, I don't want there to be any character bashing in this story so I tried to be gentle on her. I chose to make this from her point of view for a couple of reasons: firstly, as much as a dislike Juvia, I do find her background to be kind of interesting, and I wanted to expand on Phantom Lord a bit. Secondly, as I've said in a previous author's note, I am in love with Outsider's POV fics, and I wanted to have one for the two relationships that have been established by this point in the story. Seeing as Juvia has a sort of friendship with Gajeel (I wanted to have a bit of setup for his and Levy's chapter, which will come eventually) and then, of course, is very much in love with Gray, I thought that she would make for a good person to observe, especially because she's very new to the guild in this chapter. I'm actually pretty happy with this, though I didn't expect it to get this long, and I was glad to get more overt Gratsu in. Anyways, I'm still very open to any requests you might have for chapters, or how some chapters I plan might go: thinks like Gajeel and Levy getting together, or Cobra and Kinana getting together (god that's going to be hell; I don't know how to write either of them...). Thanks for reading and, as always, please review!**


	29. Something Evil In My Eyes

Something Evil in My Eyes

"What?" asks Lucy blankly before she bursts out laughing.

"I'm E.N.D.," Natsu repeats. He's not sure what reaction he expected from his friend, but laughter was not it. Lucy composes herself, wiping tears from her eyes.

"That's not _funny_ ," she says plaintatively before bursting out into laughter again. Natsu looks at her, vaguely confused.

"I'm not joking," he says rather than questioning her reaction. At the serious note in his voice, Lucy takes a second to really look at him.

"You're E.N.D.," she finally accepts. "How?" Natsu knows better than to question her quick change in mood.

"When I fought Zeref, he told me. I was his brother, and he tried to save me by turning me into a demon when I died." Lucy starts looking at him blankly again.

"Isn't he over 400 years old?" she asks finally. "And why exactly would he think that turning his brother into a demon would be the equivalent of saving him?" In the face of his blonde friend's questioning, he feels a bit ridiculous.

"I time travelled?" It's more a question than a reply. Zeref's explanation seems to have flown far away from Natsu's mind. Meanwhile, Lucy looks at him thoughtfully.

"The Eclipse gate," she concludes after a second. Right. That was what Zeref had said.

"Yeah," he confirms. "The Eclipse gate. He made me to kill him. But I'm also a demon so I'll do more than kill him."

"You'll wreak wanton havoc on all of Fiore," Lucy decides.

"Pretty much," Natsu replies. He pauses. "Friends still?" Lucy hits him lightly on the shoulder and pulls him into a tight hug as she laughs.

"Idiot," she says rather affectionately. They part and stand there for a few seconds before Lucy asks, "What will you do? If you turn into E.N.D.? You won't hate yourself then, but I know you and right now you hate what you'll become plenty for your demonic state." Natsu hesitates, brow furrowing in thought.

"I kinda made Gray promise to kill me if that happened," he finally blurts out. Last night rushes vividly back to him, the fear, the panic, and the uncharacteristic self-hatred. And Gray. Everything felt intense and too much in the shadows, and now, with the best friend he's made since the Haven, excluding Gray and Erza, of course, all the emotions that had run so high feel ridiculous.

Lucy stares at him again, understanding starting to spark in her gaze.

"He will. For you," she says, and it's a fact of life. Natsu just nods.

* * *

Erza approaches him a few hours after he told Lucy. The redhead looks furious, never a good sign for Natsu's health, but she thankfully appears to have come straight from training, and is wearing her usual outfit for it: loose-fitting red and orange pants and bandages wrapped around her chest. He still braces himself for the inevitable pain that comings of invoking the wrath of the Titania, and is surprised when he simply recieves a fierce hug. He's long since been desensitized to having his head squished into Erza's chest, but it's awkward. Still fearing for his safety, Natsu remains stock still.

"Natsu," Erza says commandingly, releasing him from her grasp. He stands at attention by instinct, spine straightening, one arm snapping into a salute that would be mocking if not for the fear on his face.

"Yes, sir!" he says pointlessly. To his horror, Erza chooses to requip into her favorite Heart Kreuz outfit. He braces himself for impact, and isn't disappointed when he feels her gauntleted arm strike his head. It's a softer blow than usual.

"Lucy told me you talked to her," she says. Natsu allows himself to relax, realizing that there will (probably) be no more violence.

"I'm E.N.D.," he confirms.

"How could you?" she demands with light fury. "How could you force the burden of your death upon Gray?" Natsu slumps at that.

"He'll stop me," he says simply, much to Erza's ire.

"Natsu, this is a _guild_. We are your _nakama_ , and you are the heart and soul of Fairy Tail. You push us to be a family, to fight for one another, and you have taught us all, taught _me_ to depend on your family. To never, ever give up." Her words are filled with all the fierce love Natsu knows she holds for the guild, for him, for Gray. It's times like this that he remembers why Erza gets the title of 'the Titania,' the queen of the fairies. It's not solely for her power, which is beyond great, or her guild, but for her leadership. She's strict and harsh, and her methods are far more violent than they need to be, but let it never be said that Erza Scarlet does not have her heart in the right place. She is truly a queen of the fairies, benevolent and loving.

"Tartaros was made for me," Natsu says instead of saying that what she just said is why he asked Gray. His boyfriend, his _mate_ , knows his heart better than anyone else ever could, and that is why Gray will undoubtedly finish the job if need be. God, Natsu hopes it never comes to that. "In a way, I am responsible for the death of his father. E.N.D. was. He swore vengeance on me. It."

"Trust in your _nakama_ , Natsu," Erza says firmly. "We won't let one of our fairies fall."

"I'm not releasing Gray from his promise," Natsu replies to what she's really saying. "He's determined at this point. He wouldn't be able to let anyone else do it." Erza sighs.

"I know," she says, and doesn't push it any further. Sometimes, Natsu reflects as she walks away, sometimes he thinks that had he not had his honorary siblings to support him, had he been totally alone the day the dragons left, alone the day he joined Fairy Tail (because he knows in his heart that no matter what the circumstances, he would always be drawn to Fairy Tail), Erza would, without a doubt, easily filled in the role his fellow Dragon Slayers do now: as an elder sibling and a younger one, a best friend and a reason to keep getting stronger.

* * *

Natsu tells the rest of his siblings next, and their mates. With the destruction of the Magic Council building and prison, Cobra has been hanging around Magnolia alongside his former guildmates from Oraceon Seis. Newly in charge of Sabertooth, Sting, and by extension Rogue, are, ironically, now able to make more frequent visits to the rest of their honorary siblings.

"I am E.N.D," Natsu decides to spit it out bluntly now that the other Slayers are gathered. Wendy and Gray are there for support. He's getting a bit tired of saying the brief confession over and over again. Cobra's reaction is oddly visceral considering his reserved nature.

"What?!" spits out the Poison Dragon Slayer, jolting upright.

"Cobra-nii?" asks Wendy, looking confusedly at him. "What's wrong?"  
" _Tartaros_ is what's wrong!" Cobra replies in a tight voice. "A buncha demons from the Books of Zeref, and their reason for existing walked away after soundly kicking their asses. More than that, their reason for existing is a _very well-known Fairy Tail mage_!" His voice rises in volume with each word, and Natsu can't tell whether he's worried or mad.

In true Natsu fashion, he simply asks, "So?"

"So if this ever gets out, half the guilds in Fiore and most of the dark ones will be after you!"

"They already are, though. 'Cause of the destruction I've caused," replies Natsu. He's only partially being purposefully oblivious.

"You don't get it," Cobra argues agitatedly. "Oracion Seis, our goal wasn't always to wake the Nirvana. In the beginning, Brain did research on powerful, dark magic which, of course, led him to Zeref. Unlike Grimoire Heart, he didn't focus on finding Zeref, he focused on his demons. You told me what happened on Tenrou Island, and they were all willing to kill just to get to Zeref. Brain wanted to do the exact same, only he went a step further: he wanted to enslave a demon. He gave up the idea when he failed at enslaving a test demon, but that's not my point. A lot of people will do anything to get to E.N.D., whether to kill it, enslave it, or something else." It's worry that drives the Poison Dragon Slayer, then.

"Only Fairy Tail will know," Natsu replies. "And you guys of course. But I have to tell the guild, they're my _nakama_ and it'd not be right to keep secrets from them." He glances at the rest of the group to see the others' reactions, and is not disappointed. Freed and Levy already seem to be discussing research plans, Laxus and Rogue are fairly impassive, Sting looks worried, Kinana uncertain, and Gajeel simply discontent.

"Flamehead," Gajeel finally says, "you're an idiot."

"Huh?" Natsu asks, fists lighting on instinct. "Wanna say that again, rust bucket?" A touch on his arm from Gray and a quelling look from Wendy make Natsu stand down reluctantly.

"You were afraid of our reactions," Gajeel says as though he hadn't said anything insulting. "An' you're an idiot for expecting the worst. We're family. We're not gonna turn on ya just cause you're some demon." The others nod their agreement. Natsu is Natsu is Natsu, and always will be the obnoxious, obnoxiously likeable, hotheaded, flame-fisted, fight-revelling, thoughtless, loyal, fire-hearted idiot brother they might as well have known since birth.

"Anyways," throws in Sting, "wasn't it the same case with Rogue?" His partner gives him an annoyed look for bringing up what he so despises being brought up, but the blonde presses onwards, heedless of, or perhaps because of, his mate's discomfiture. "I promised Rogue that he wouldn't be the person he saw in the Grand Magic Games, and if he did, I would stop him."

"As much as I dislike Sting bringing that up," Rogue says with a pointled glare, "he is right. If the potential for me becoming a power-hungry, vengeance-obsessed madman in the future wasn't enough to drive you all off, being a power-hungry, destruction-obsessed demon in the future won't be enough either." There's a touch of his characteristic wry, dark humor in his statement, but the words are sincere.

"Fairy Tail ain't all gonna like it," Laxus says bluntly, as he does best. "The oldest Strauss may well've been a demon when she was younger, though, an' she wasn't rejected. Jii-jii sure as hell won't let 'em drive away one of his children."

"I know that Gray promised to stop you," Wendy says softly, "but we all promise that as well." She knows she can speak for her brothers, who all nod their agreement, but she isn't surprised when Freed, Levy, and even Kinana join in as well.

"Guys…" Natsu says wonderingly. He doesn't hug them, but he gives them the brightest grin he can muster, and they all understand how much this means to him. Natsu was truly worried for his future, even having exacted a promise from his mate, but he especially could never stand against his own siblings for long, even as a demon, he's sure.

Laxus is right. Not all of Fairy Tail accepts Natsu's news gracefully. But his siblings have, and so have Erza and Lucy, so do the Rajinshuu and the Strausses, and Gramps, Romeo, Macao, Wakaba, everyone else who matters.

Fairy Tail's greatest strength has always been its heart, its loyalty. Perhaps those are also its greatest flaws: never being able to give up on a member, no matter how fargone they may be. Perhaps Fairy Tail is horribly idealistic because of that. Naive, certainly, in the eyes of some.

It doesn't really matter to its members, and that's all that matters to the guild.

* * *

 **A/N: Title is from Grim Determination by Blue Gillespie.**


End file.
